Sonic Adventure 3: Worldwide
by Tiamat19
Summary: A storygame. One year after Robotnik's demise, a new threat surfaces from an unknown origin. My vision of Sonic Adventure 3, with gameplay explanations integrated into the story. The final chapter is up.
1. The Mercenary

**Sonic Adventure 3: Worldwide**

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, after through all the blood, sweat, and tears, Robotnik has been eliminated. The world was no longer under his shadow. Tranquility has been restored to the people of Earth. Everything was back to normal, everyone lived their peaceful lives once more.

But peace never lasts forever.

One year later, a new threat surfaces from an unknown origin. An enemy Armada of futuristic air battleships are about to take the world by storm. One thousand strong are approaching. An enemy far more powerful than ever imagined, it will take the combined efforts of certain heroes, anti-heroes, and unlikely heroes from all over the world to stop this sinister force from destroying their planet.

Leading the Armada are three powerful individuals. The first is an albino hedgehog who calls himself 'Sonic'. The second is named Newblood, a half-robotized wolf. The third and leader of the trio is a mysterious and skilled swordsman, Lord Ranoc.

These are the ones that will confront the encroaching menace.

Sonic, Tails, Rouge, and Amy in Station Square.

Knuckles and the Chaotix in Angel Island. 

Sally, Antoine, Rotor, and Bunnie in Knothole.

Nack, Bean, and Bark in Down Unda'.

Alliances will be formed. Betrayals will tear friends apart. Will they be able to stop the Armada? Why does this hedgehog call himself 'Sonic'? Is he somehow related to the real thing? 

_Gameplay Feature:_ _The Burst Meter_

All characters will have a meter in the lower-right corner of the screen. It will fill up as you collect rings in quick succession or defeat enemies in quick succession. Getting hit will decrease the meter. Once the meter is full, the word "BURST!" will appear in the bar. Push the R button to enter Burst Mode. After activation, the character will glow. He/she gains new abilities while the meter will gradually drain. Once the meter becomes empty, the character will return back to normal.

Here are the six playable characters of SA3 and their Burst abilities. 

**Sonic**: Sonic will be engulfed in flame and his running speed is doubled. The screen will have a blur effect as he runs. Any enemy he collides into will be dust. Certain walls can be destroyed in this mode, revealing secret passages.

**Tails**: Tails' can not only fly indefinitely, but can fly faster as well. 

**Knuckles**: Knuckles' punches are more powerful and can shoot fireballs. He can glide and climb faster.

**Sally**: Nicole will protect Sally with an electromagnetic shield.

**Antoine**: Antoine will use two swords instead of one, doubling his attack potential.

**Nack**: Nack will have infinite ammo.

_Begin Nack's scenario._

**Chapter 1 – The Mercenary**

At a seedy looking bar in Down Unda, Nack the Weasel is sitting back in his table. He wouldn't be all the way down here if it didn't involve the one thing he loved the most, money. Deals and propositions often went down in here. Sipping on his drink, he notices a red kangaroo in a brown vest and hat out of the corner of his eye.

"The Rye Whiskey sure is good." the kangaroo said.

"But the Gin is even better." the weasel replied.

The kangaroo sat down at the table with him, both shaking hands.

"Nack, I presume?"

"You presume right."

"Great. The name's Wallabee, and trust me mate…I wouldn't have called you all the way 'ere to Down Unda' if it wasn't important. You've got quite a reputation." 

"Yeah yeah…get to it. What's the problem?"

"Heh. Straight to the point, I like that. Anyways, this idiot is runnin' around blowin' up all of me steel mills. I can't make money when bombs are goin' off like bloomin' fireworks. It's bad for me business, and I've called you 'ere to put a stop to him." 

"What does this bomber look like?"

"He's a short green duck. He goes by the name Bean."

"…Bean?" 

"Yeah. I've got a map right here showing where his hideout is. See that? Go through the jungle right there, up the Tiko River, and you'll be there in a snap. That duck is quite the trickster, he set up traps all around the perimeter. Me boys couldn't git past 'em, so I figured I'd hire a clever bastard to catch a clever bastard."

"What's the pay?"

"100,000 dollars mate. You'll git 10,000 dollars now as a down payment, and you'll get the other 90,000 once you bring that green fool 'ere to me."

"Alright. I'm on it." Nack said as he takes the map and leaves the table.

"Bring him 'ere ALIVE. There's a few things I want to…'discuss' with him." 

"Sure. Just make sure you have my money ready Wallabee. No dough, no duck."

"You have me word.. G'bye mate." he said with a tip of the hat.

The purple weasel leaves the bar and gets on his hover bike. He speeds off in search of the bomber. 

_Stage 1: Jungle Rush_ (Player: **Nack**)   
Mission: Get through the jungle.  
Nack will be on his hover bike. The A button is to accelerate. Hold the B button to brake. Push left and right on the analog stick to steer. Use the L and R buttons for left and right sharp turns, respectively. Navigate through the dense jungle, avoiding trees and other obstacles. Colliding into one will cause damage. 4 hits will destroy your bike. Halfway through the mission you will reach the Tiko River. Your hoverbike will automatically transform into a jet ski. Speed down the river. Traps have been placed, so be careful. Be wary of rocks and overhanging branches. Avoid the buoys, they're actually mines. The controls remain the same. Complete the mission by reaching the shore leading to the hideout.

Nack pulled up to the shore, and he shut off the jet ski's ignition. The weasel looked around the area. The water continued its course, the birds and wildlife made their typical chirps and calls. It was quiet…too quiet.

This bounty hunter wasn't taking any chances though. He took his trademark Revolver out of its holster and cocked it. There was a narrow dirt road up ahead, leading into more dense jungle. His eyes and trigger finger remained sharp as he began walking down the path.

It was a good thing he did too, for he wasn't exactly welcome here. Without so much as a warning, gunfire blazed through the air. Bits and pieces of dirt and foliage sprang to life.

"Damn!" he yelled. He quickly rolled away and hid behind a tree. The gunfire still continued.

Nack held his gun closer. "I'm countin' on you ol' Revolvie." The weasel peeked around the tree slowly. Then he jumped out, with weapon pointed and ready.

_Stage 2: Gung-Ho Guns_ (Player: **Nack**)   
Mission: Get to the hideout.  
Nack begins this game with only a Revolver (holds 30 rounds), but he will get new weapons as the game progresses. Masked bandits armed with pistols want you under a tombstone. Hold R to lock onto an enemy. Push A to fire, B to switch targets, Y to reload. Push up, down, left, or right and the X button to roll in that direction. Ammo isn't infinite, so don't be reckless. Keep on the lookout for bullet monitors. They provide the ammo and come in 5, 10, 20, and 40 rounds. Blast through the bandits, using cover if necessary. Mission is completed when you reach the hideout.

Nack looked around carefully as he stepped toward the depilated house. It was quiet as a mouse. Once again…it was too quiet. As soon as the weasel set one foot on the porch, he heard something. A strange subtle beeping emitted from behind the front door. He also noticed a tiny red light on that very door. 

"BEEEEEEEP…."

"!"

Nack ran like hell as the house exploded into flames. The force of the blast sent him flying through the air. Using quick reflexes, he put his hands forward and rolled away right as he touched the ground. He immediately pointed the gun back toward the house.

"Let me guess…Wallabee sent you to get me." came a voice from out of nowhere.

That short green duck stood on a tree branch high above, then leapt down in front of him.

"And you must be Bean." he said, still pointing the gun. "I'm here to take you to him."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"That's not your choice."

"If he wants me so bad, he can do it himself. Don't you realize what he's doing you stupid weasel? All those steel mills that he's building is killing the environment. Smoke is tainting the air, by-product waste is polluting our rivers. Trees are being chopped down to run the factories. The wildlife will die because of him. I'm here to put a stop to it."

"Boo hoo. Cry me a river. The only thing that matters is the money I'll get for your capture. You're coming with me whether you like it or not."

"No. You'll have to take me down first." he said, taking out a bomb. He tossed it up onto his hand again and again.

"Suit yourself."

_Boss: Bean_ (Player: **Nack**)   
Bean will run around the forest, throwing bombs that explode after a few seconds. The duck wears a bulletproof vest, so you can't damage him with your gun. You can stun him though. Be extremely careful, he's more dangerous than he looks. If a bomb explodes near a tree, it will fall over, causing damage upon impact. Pick up a bomb and throw it back at Bean to hurt him. 4 hits ought to put him out of commission.

Bean was lying on the ground, beaten. Nack tied him up his arms with some thick rope. With a grunt, he picked him up and carried him over his shoulder.

"Gah…You'll…be…sorry…for…" he mumbled, still dazed.

"Shut up."

The weasel got back to the jet ski and put the duck on the back seat. Nack cuffed one of his legs to the vehicle, preventing any getaway. He got on himself and started it up. The engine buzzed alive and Nack pressed his foot on the gas. 

15 minutes later…

Nack entered the bar with his bounty, and pushed him into the table. But something wasn't right. Everyone seemed to have left, except for Wallabee who had a couple of fellow associates there with him. 

"Good job mate, bloody good job. I knew you'd be able to do it."

Bean looked like he was doing something behind his back.

"Where's my money Wallabee."

"Oh that? It's right here…mate…" he grinned, digging into his pocket. His men dug into their pockets as well.

"?"

Every one of them pulled out a gun, aimed straight at Nack and Bean.

"The hell is this!"

"It's nothing personal mate. Bean is a threat to my business. Me boss is a bounty hunter as well, and you, Nack, being alive is a threat to his business as well. I figured once I had you bring the duck here to me, I can kill two birds with one stone."

Nack took off his cowboy hat and scratched his head, feeing a bit duped. "I really have to hand it you Wallabee. You got me…I suppose I can kiss that other 9,000 dollars goodbye eh?"

"Heh…that's not the only thing you can kiss goodbye, mate."

Using a knife, Bean broke free of the ropes and grabbed Nack by the hand. "Run you fool!"

"Son of a…!" Wallabee shouted.

The two hauled ass out of the bar, just barely dodging the bullets. They ran and got onto the hover bike, no words were exchanged as they sped off into the distance. Wallabee and the two underlings ran outside in pursuit, but Nack and Bean were already long gone.

"It ain't over duck and weasel. Not by a long shot." he muttered, then turned to his two lackeys. "Inform all our men to be on the lookout for Nack and Bean. Follow 'em, then ice 'em."

"Yes boss." They replied, then left via an expensive blue sports car.

Nack kept going down the road until he got to the airport. "Time for me to blow this pop stand. I'm goin' back home."

"Wait." Bean said, before they could get off the bike. "I know Wallabee. He's not the kind of 'roo to give up so easily…especially if it involves his boss' orders. Trust me when I say this. He has connections everywhere. He'll chase us all around the world with his goons until he kills us. We'll need some muscle to back us up."

"Where can we get this 'muscle' at?"

"Ever been to the South Pole?"

"…Can't say that I have. You're telling me that we have to go all the way down there?"

"Yep. A friend of mine lives down there, a real big friend. He doesn't take crap from anybody. With him by our side, we have a chance of fighting back."

"Tch. How do I know I can trust you?" Nack said, eyeing him.

"Didn't I just save your hide back there? Besides, I don't think you have a choice."

"…Fine. Let's get 2 tickets to the South Pole. This 10,000 dollars I just got should do it."

The two entered the terminal, bought their tickets, and rode coach on Mobian Airlines. Destination: South Pole.

**_Next Chapter: An Old Friend_**


	2. An Old Friend

**Chapter 2 – An Old Friend**

Nack and Bean landed safely on the airstrip of the South Pole, and they boarded off. The two stood just outside of the control tower, taking in the view of the serene landscape. The expert bomber lead them to a small wooden shack just outside the airport, where several snowmobiles lined up neatly in a row.

The owner of the snowmobile rental establishment, a penguin wearing an orange beret, walked up and greeted them with a friendly smile. It was a relief getting away from Wallabee's clutches, for now anyways.

"Hey Bean. Hey stranger."

"S'up Jeffrey. I'm just here to visit my ol' friend again."

"Ah…I see. Well, I won't have to tell you the way then. The Fox Nomads are out of hibernation, so you might need this just in case."

Jeffrey handed Bean a weapon, whom he handed to Nack. "It seems like you're better with guns than I am, so you can have it."

"Oh…thanks."

Nack receives the Tranquilizer Gun (holds 18 rounds).

"Who are the Fox Nomads? " Nack asked.

"They are a tribal group who has lived in the mountains north of here through the generations. Bean's path to his friend's home runs through those mountains. They're pretty hostile if outsiders step onto their lands, so use this Tranquilizer Gun just in case they start attacking you. It'll put 'em out for about an hour. Do NOT kill them. We have to respect their territory."

"Alright. I'll try not to bust a cap by mistake."

"You better not, or you'll be thrown in jail."

"What?"

"Killing one is a direct violation of the Nomad Preservation Act."

"I'll borrow one of these snowmobiles if you don't mind." Bean said.

"Go right ahead Bean. It's on the house."

"Much obliged Jeffrey. I'll see ya around."

Nack and Bean hopped onto the vehicle and zoomed down the desolate fields. The cold lands were painted in orange by the setting sun. The duck continued driving as the weasel seemed to be distracted. He was thinking of something.

"Bean."

"Yeah Nack?"

"I've been thinking…Why did you save me back there at the bar? You could've easily left me there to die."

"Considering the way you've treated me earlier, I should've left you there…but I didn't."

"Then why?"

"I noticed that you were quite skilled with the gun, it would be a waste to have you pushin' up daisies. So I figured you would make quite an asset to our cause of taking Wallabee and the company down."

"…So you're saying you saved my life because I would be useful in achieving your goal."

"Something like that. We're not exactly buddy-buddy or anything."

"I didn't say we were. I was just asking a question."

"That's fine with me. You are indebted to me though since I saved you. Until we take him down, you have to stay with us."

"Tch…fair enough. I'll help your little posse get rid of the 'roo bastard. He owes me. Once we've done that, I'm gone."

"Cool. Seems like we both have our reasons for taking Wallabee down."

He continued driving until they reached the base of the mountain. Not being able to go any further on snowmobile, they got off and walked. It was starting to get dark.

"We use this trail to go to the other side, then we descend down the slope into a cave. After we get out of the cave, you'll see a hut. That's where my friend lives. He'll be able to help us out."

"Okay. This better not be a waste of time." He replied, equipping his Tranquilizer gun. Locked and loaded.

"Trust me Nack. It isn't. You'll see."

_Stage 3: Chill Peaks_ (Player: **Nack**)  
Mission: Get to the other side.  
Bean will be with you as you navigate through the treacherous mountain trail. Be wary of slippery slopes and rock slides. You'll fall into freezing water if you're not vigilant. Since you're stepping onto their territory, the Fox Nomads will become hostile and attack. Watch out for the spears they throw at you. Press left or right on the C stick to change weapons. Use the Tranquilizer Gun to put them to sleep. Do NOT use your Revolver and kill them, or else you'll forfeit a life and start from the last checkpoint. Mission is completed when you get to the other side of the mountain.

Nack and Bean stood at the top of a long slope. Night had fallen upon the mountain as well as the lands below. They had quite a view from their position. The airport terminal was easily visible, a few miles away.

"Check this out…I know a faster way to get down to the cave." Bean grinned. Using a bomb, he planted it at a nearby tree. Its fuse was lit and now counting down.

"Do you know what you're doing, duck?"

"Of course I do. Just trust me on this."

11 seconds later the bomb exploded with a sizable bang, making the tree fall over. Nack just turned and stared at him like he was the most idiotic person in the world.

"Bean! You realize what you just…!"

"What's your problem? We'll use this as a type of log flume and…wait…do you hear that?"

"…Hear…what?"

It started out as a rumble, then it steadily became louder and louder. Nack looked up and nearly had a stroke when he saw a huge blanket of snow cascading down toward them, falling faster and faster.

"Tell me something Bean. If you set off a bomb on a snow-covered mountain, what do you think will happen?"

Bean looked up as well, his pupils turning microscopic seeing a white blanket of doom coming their way.

"…An avalanche?"

"Correct a mondo genius. Now let's get the hell out of here!"

They hurriedly got onboard the fallen tree and rode it down the mountain, with the avalanche right on their tails. While clawing with their hands to gain momentum, they weaved back and forth to avoid crashing.

Bean was barking out orders. "Go left! NO! Your other left! STUPID! No right! Listen to me! Turn idiot turn! LOOK!"

"I'm gonna shoot you in the head if you don't shut the hell up!"

"There's the cave right down there! Steer toward it!"

Weasel and duck zipped right into the small cave at the bottom. They skidded along until the tree finally stopped. The avalanche of snow roared in and blocked the entrance with an immense collision. What a sight this was. The caves had walls of solid ice that showed crystal clear reflections of themselves, both distorted and perfect.

"You okay Nack?" he asked, shaking his feathers.

He was busy patting the snow off his purple fur. He took off his hat and dusted that off as well. "Oh yeah…I'm just peachy keen."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Now why would I ever-be-so mad at you? Causing that avalanche and nearly being killed by it was so much fun. Let's do it again."

"Your sarcasm is overwhelming. I'm sorry. Okay? I humbly apologize."

"Save it. Let's just keep going, and try not to get us killed this time. Otherwise I'll have to choke you."

"Sheeesh…fine. I won't. Calm down."

"I almost got killed because of you and you want me to calm down?"

"…Alright. Bad choice of words. I already said I was sorry. Let's just go."

_Stage 4: Cool Caverns_ (Player: **Nack**)  
Mission: Find the exit.  
Don't let your reflections off the solid ice walls confuse you. Trek your way through the snaking path of the cavern. A few forks in the road will make this a bit of a maze. Try not to get lost. Keep your eyes up for falling icicles. Use the shadows to pinpoint where they'll land. Those territorial Fox Nomads are in here as well, ready to skewer you with spears. Remember to use your Tranquilizer Gun. You don't have to worry as much about the bats, feel free to blast those away with your Revolver. Mission is completed when you reach the exit.

Nack and Bean stepped outside and saw the lone hut in the middle of the valley. This was a perfect location for the person who wanted to get away from it all. No civilization for miles around. The stars dotted the night sky.

"There's one thing I have to tell you before we meet him." Bean said.

"What is it?"

"Don't make eye contact with him."

"What?"

"Don't make eye-contact with him. He gets really irritated by it."

"…Okay…"

The duck, with the bounty hunter behind him, knocked on the door.

"Come in! huff Door's open. puff"

The two came in. There was a nearly 7 foot tall polar bear wearing a red snowcap and green scarf, practicing his swings on a punching bag. He had at least 2 feet on Bean and Nack, easy. He was a monster at 500+ pounds.

Nack readjusted his cowboy hat. "I thought polar bears lived in the North Pole."

"This one doesn't."

The polar bear stopped his rigorous training and lumbered up to them, extending his big paw. "What's up Bean?"

"Hiya Bark."

Bean gave Bark a high-five, then a low-five, then the slow hand-slip, then the pinky-lock, and finally a friendly hug. Nack pretended not to notice anything.

"Who's the purple rat?" he asked, now focused on him.

"That's Nack. He's an….acquaintance of mine."

"Hey Nack. Nice to meet ya. I'm Bark." he greeted, offering a handshake.

"Hi Bark.." The weasel replied. He shook his hand, but still looked the other way.

"Hey…how come you're not looking at me? Am I scaring you?"

"(Don't look at him Nack…)" Bean quietly muttered to him.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Look at me!"

"(Don't look at him man…)"

Nack felt a lump in his throat, still turned away. "That's okay……I can…hear you…just fine. Th…thanks…"

"Are you disrespecting me?" Bark asked, cracking his knuckles. "Because if you are, I wouldn't mind twisting your spine into a pretzel."

Nack turned his head the other way, still not meeting eye to eye.

"(Don't even think about it! Keep your eyes away!)"

"So it's going to be like that huh little rat?"

With one hand, Bark picked Nack up by the throat and brought him up to his face. The weasel still had his head turned and didn't look at him.

"Guess I'll have to beat some respect outta you!"

The polar bear growled and reeled back for the punch. Nack closed his eyes, readying for impact.

"…"

"…?"

Bark simply laughed out loud, giving him a noogie. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm just playing with you. Bean told you not to look at me, didn't he?"

Nack gave Bean a dirty look. The duck was on the floor rolling with laughter.

"No hard feelings Nack?" he asked as he put him back down.

"…I suppose."

"Hahaha….now that we got that outta our systems, what brings you here Bean?"

"Long story short, a kangaroo named Wallabee and his goons are out to kill us. According to him, Nack and I are a threat to his business. We need some serious backup if we plan on fighting back. That's why we came to you Bark."

"So that's how it is huh…sure…I'll join ya in your fight."

"Really?" Bean lit up. "You'll help us?"

"Of course. You're my pals after all."

He smiled. "Thanks Bark. I knew I could count on you."

"No prob. By the way...it's getting pretty late. Did you want to sleep over, and then think about what we can do tomorrow?"

Nack was busy looking outside as Bean replied. "Yeah..that'd be a good idea. It's been a long day."

"Cool. Let's call it a night and get some shut-eye. I got a couple of sleeping bags for you to use."

Soon, all three were sawing logs rather noisily. Barksnored the loudest. The polar bear slept in his hammock, while Nack and Bean snoozed in sleeping bags. The night had come and went without incident.

The next morning…

Bark awoke to the sound of footsteps outside his hut. He quickly leapt from his resting place and looked out the window. Two lackey kangaroos had machine guns armed and ready, aimed right for the polar bear's house.

"(…Shoot…that must be the goons Bean was telling me about…)"

_"Ready…"_

"Uh oh…"

"_Aim…"_

"NACK! BEAN! STAY DOWN!" he shouted, diving to the ground beside them.

_"FIRE!"_

A hail of bullets started tearing through the hut. Glass shattered, tables split in half, and walls became Swiss cheese. Objects were being erased before his very eyes. The lead storm continued for a while, and then it stopped. Bark's once-humble home was nowin shambles, the air thick with dust. That was one hell of a wakeup call. Bark hesitated, and then walked to the door. His fist began to tremble in furious anger.

The two gangsters entered the house, only to get knocked down flat by Bark's double clothesline.

"Bastards!"

They were KO-ed.

"What the hell's going on!" Nack shouted.

"Wallabee's thugs have found us it seems." The polar bear answered, then waved them to come along. "Let's get outta here fellas. It isn't safe in here."

Nack, Bean, and Bark ran outside…only to meet five more lackeys with machine guns lined up.

The green duck was shocked. "My god…Wallabee's lackeys followed us all the way HERE! But…but…how!"

Bark cracked his neck and knuckles. "Kick ass now. Ask questions later, Bean."

"Yeah…" Nack added, putting his hand down by the holster. "Let's get these idiots out of the picture first."

_Boss: Wallabee's Swarm_ (Player: **Nack**)  
You will face 3 waves of 5 machinegun-toting lackeys. They will jump around, firing every so often with partial range. Defeat the current wave to face the next one. Now might be a good time to use your rolling technique. Other than Bark's devastated hut, there is no cover. Your friends can now help out in battle. Push down on the C stick to have Bean throw a few bombs. The blasts have good range. Push up on the C stick to have Bark perform one of six random fighting moves: clothesline, shoulder tackle, giant swing, power bomb, big boot, drop kick. Using your friends' skills isn't free though. It costs 20 percent of the Burst meter per use. Win the battle by defeating them all.

Wallabee's attempted hit on the three mobians had failed. Bean and Bark stood amongst the defeated marsupials with confident smugs.

The weasel noticed some equipment on a slain gunman. "Hmm…now what do we have here…"

Nack received the Nightvision Goggles! Push the Z button to toggle on and off.

Nack also received an Assault Rifle (holds 60 rounds)! This semi-automatic weapon fires three-round bursts. It eats ammo quickly, so don't get too carried away with it.

"Is everyone all right?" Bark asked as he surveyed the grounds.

"Like you need to ask." Nack answered, reloading and cocking his newfound toy.

"I'm cool Bark. I'm cool. See what I mean? Wallabee doesn't freakin' play around."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. This guy is serious."

"We have to go back to Down Unda'. We have to stop Wallabee, and his Boss."

Nack readied his Revolver as he pointed it up in the air. "It's gonna be your turn to face the barrel Wallyboy. I'm getting my money, whether you like it or not."

Bark flashed his teeth and pounded his fists together. "Anyone who trashes my home and tries to kill my friends are beggin' for an ass-whoopin'."

Bean spun a bomb on his finger. "If we don't stop them, the environment will deteriorate. My home will be uninhabitable. With your gun skills Nack, and your brute strength Bark, we could stop them. Guys, we're going to his Main Headquarters in Down Unda'. We'll end this."

**_Next Chapter: Showdown at Down Unda'_**


	3. Showdown in Down Unda

**Chapter 3 - Showdown at Down Unda'**

Aubury, the capital of Down Unda. It was a bustling city of clover-leaf freeways, friendly communities, and entertainment. There was always something to do here, whether it would be watching a play, a casual stroll through the park, kickin' back at a juice bar, or practicing your tennis swings at the sports gym, among other things. More than 40,000 people had their G'days and G'nights here.

A quarter-mile east of the capital was Nack, Bean, and Bark's objective.

The three stood low on the outskirts of Aubury, planning their next move. It was 23 minutes after high noon. Down below was Enemy Headquarters. Infiltrating this compound and eliminating Wallabee and the boss would prove to be quite an undertaking. Thought and strategy would be a must.

"Wooowee…it's so damn hot here…" the polar bear complained, wearing an ice pack.

"Get used to it Bark, that's gonna be the least of your worries." Nack said.

"I know a place where we can get a clear view of Kygaroo's Headquarters. There's a hill some distance away. From there we can decide the best course of action." 

"Kygaroo?" Nack and Bark asked.

"Wallabee's boss. The head honcho. He's the one responsible for the construction of all the steel mills…and also the one who wanted Nack and I to be dead."

The three jogged up to the hill, a ways from Headquarters. They got a perfect view of it from their position. Nack looked through his binoculars, getting a feel of the layout. Bark and Bean kneeled down beside him, waiting for his report.

"Okay…there's the building…whew…it's a huge mansion…and a nice one at that…about 3 stories high…at the top of a huge hill. Damn…there's guards all over the place…Huh…a tall electric fence is surrounding the perimeter around the entire hill. There's a dirt road leading up to it from the bottom…hmm…there's a security checkpoint down at the base of it."

Nack pushed a button and zoomed in. "Armed jeeps are going through the checkpoint."

"How many people are in the jeeps?"

"…I see only one in each. It looks like they're carrying steel and supplies in them."

"Only one huh…hmm…" Bean muttered.

"Looks like that's the way we're going in." Bark added.

"Hey…looks like our boy Wally is there too." he said, zooming in some more.

In front of the entrance, Wallabee appeared to be having a conversation with a slightly larger orange kangaroo in a black vest. They were talking, then shook hands, then talked some more. They were reeling back and cackling with laughter shortly after.

"Let me see that." Bark growled, grabbing the binoculars from him. "Hmmm…yeah…laugh it up roo boy…soon you're going to be spitting teeth out of your ass."

"Hmm…" The green duck rubbed his chin, pondering for a few minutes.

"…"

"Thought of anything yet?"

"Shh Bark. I'm still thinking."

"…"

"How about now?"

"Patience Nack…patience."

"…"

Finally, the light bulb in Bean's head clicked on.

"Alright…I think I got an idea you guys."

Nack and Bark both leaned in and listened.

"Check this out. I'll stand in the middle of the road down there, some distance away from the checkpoint. I'll distract the driver of a jeep. He'll stop…well hopefully…and meanwhile Nack, you hide in the bushes. You're a good shot with the gun, right?"

"One of the best, if not the best." 

"Good. While he's occupied with me, you put him out with the tranquilizer dart. Bark will be right behind you just in case something goes wrong. If all goes well, I'll take the wheel, you take the top, and Bark will ride shotgun. We'll proceed to the checkpoint."

"Then what?" Bark asked.

"Nack will take out the guard with another tranquilizer shot. We'll proceed through the gates once that's done."

"Hmm…Sounds as good a plan as any." Nack said, scratching his nose.

Bark got up and stretched. "Well you guys…here goes nothing. Let's do it. Time to begin Operation Thunderbolt!"

The three ran down the hill and soon the plan was underway.

Bean stood in the middle of the street. He waited for several minutes, pacing back and forth before a jeep arrived. The duck jumped and waved frantically to get his interest.

"Hey! HEEEY! YOOHOO!"

The jeep stopped, and the kangaroo honked the horn repeatedly. Unfortunately, there were two people in the vehicle. The frustrated driver opened the window to yell at Bean…big mistake. A dart immediately stuck to his forehead, and instantly fell asleep. The other 'roo quickly stepped out and pointed his pistol at him.

"FREEZE! Put your hands in the.."

WHACK! 

Bark punched him in the back of the head. He was instantly knocked out.

"Coolness…plan is going perfectly." Bean said, jumping in the driver's seat. Nack was at the helm of the submachine gun mounted at the top of the jeep. Bark hid the bodies in the dark patch of trees nearby, and then joined them in the passenger seat.

Bean drove the jeep up to the checkpoint, smiling at the guard in the booth. The kangaroo stepped outside to check.

"ID please…HE…HEY! You're that…!"

Nack shot him right between the eyes with the tranquilizer dart. It was nap time. The weasel sprung into the booth and pushed the switch to retract the tire-spikes.

"Wallabee…Kygaroo…here we come!" Bean shouted.

They rolled into enemy territory, where security was naturally tighter. It wasn't even ten seconds before an alarm sounded.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"

Kangaroos stormed out of the mansion and ran toward their jeep, along with the field patrols. All of them wore brown vests, and were armed with assault rifles.

Nack smirked. "Heh. Can't expect it to be this easy all the way through. Bean, you keep driving to Headquarters. I'll provide cover fire. Bark, you just sit there and look bad-ass."

"All right! Hold on everybody!" the duck shouted.

Bark pounded on the side of the door. "Whoo hoooo! Let's roll out!"

He pressed on the gas, and the jeep continued toward the summit of the monstrous hill. The opposition was going to make their trip anything but pleasant.

_Stage 5: Rough Riders_ (Player: **Nack**)  
Mission: Get to Headquarters.  
Bean will drive the jeep to your destination, so don't worry about steering. Nack will be the main offense. The guards will fire at your vehicle as you head toward the top. Push the R button to switch to first-person view, then use the analog stick to aim the mounted submachine gun. Hold A to fire. Ammunition is unlimited, so blast away with extreme prejudice. Bark will punch any unsuspecting sap that gets too close. You will go over some rough terrain, which can make aim difficult. If your jeep takes too many hits, it will explode. Complete the stage by reaching Headquarters at the hill's summit.

Bean put the pedal to the metal. "There's Headquarters! Grab something and hold tight! We're gonna bust right in!"

Bark strained as he put his seatbelt around his big frame. Nack ducked low and tightly held on to the mount that supported the submachine gun.

VRRRROOOOM!

The jeep crashed right through the glass door entrance, and skidded to a stop. Tables and other pieces of decorations broke and flew through the air. The guards immediately advanced and fired at them. The three quickly hid behind their vehicle for some cover.

"Bye bye!" Bean shouted. He tossed a couple bombs over his head. With a boom, he blew a group to smithereens.

Nack readied his Revolver and peeked up. With professional aim he fired a couple rounds, two more gunners fell by headshot. It was now peaceful, for the moment. Like the building's exterior, the interior was elegant, complete with expensive furnishings, chandeliers, large fountains, and exotic carpeting.

"Cool…we're in. Wallabee's office is on the second floor, and Kygaroo's is on the third floor…if I remember correctly."

"Bean…how do you know so much about them?" Nack asked, becoming suspicious. 

"We've had a few run-ins in the past. Anyways, let's go. We can't stop now, not after getting this far."

"How do we get to the second floor from here?" the weasel asked.

"There should be a flight of stairs at the end of the grand hall. It's a long way, so don't slouch."

More gunmen appeared down the hall with their weaponry, and were coming fast. There was just no end to these guys.

"Here come the reinforcements." Bark warned.

_Stage 6: Full Barrage_ (Player: **Nack**)  
Mission: Get to the 2nd floor.  
This is it. This is the final step before the meeting with Wallabee. The guards will pull no punches here. They'll come at you with everything they have, including pistols, assault rifles, grenades, and sleeping gas. If you fall asleep, mash on the buttons repeatedly to wake up. If you're feeling confident, you can throw the grenades back at the enemy with the A button. You can shoot the chandeliers to put an unexpected drop on the enemies. The firefight will be intense, so find any kind of cover you can. Use the sofas, statues, plants, anything. Ascend the grand staircase at the end to complete the stage.

The trio had made it past the guards. Now it was time to face the higher-ups in this crooked corporation. Nack, Bean, and Bark stepped up to a decorated solid oak door. A gold-plated sign on the front read, "Support Manager – Wallabee Jones". They stood off to the side, being precautious. The duck slowly put a hand out and knocked gently.

"Knock knock?"

BOOM!

"WHOA!" Bean screamed as he almost got his hand blown off.

A shotgun blast from inside blew a huge hole in the door, revealing a sneak preview of the room.

"Come iiiiin!"

The three rushed in with bombs, guns, and fists ready. Wallabee chuckled to himself as he sat back in his big office chair. The red kangaroo cocked his sawed-off shotgun.

"You must be quite an idiot to show your bloomin' face 'ere. I figured you'd be still hiding out with your tails between your legs. Ye got some grapefruits on ya I'll admit."

Bark stepped forward, with a low growl. "You're gonna pay for what you did in the South Pole! Destroying my home…threatening my friends…I'm not gonna stand for it!"

Nack squinted through his Revolver. "You still owe me 90,000 bucks, Roo. I'm here to get it. You'll learn why you never double-cross a mercenary."

"Your games end here Wallabee. After we're done with you, we're gonna go after your boss Kygaroo next. Your company is going down!"

He pointed his shotgun at the trio. "HAHA! I'd like to see you try mate. We're not about to give up a multi-million dollar business to some little renegade punks. You were lucky last time, but now you're pushing it. It's going to be a pleasure splattering your brains all over the floor."

For the money, for the wildlife, for his home and friends…the three had their reasons for shutting down the company. This dangerous foe was all that stood between them and Kygaroo. Wallabee couldn't let them have their way, especially not after the company had established itself as one of the top industries in Down Unda. They were going to have to kill him first.

_Boss: Wallabee_ (Player: **Nack**)  
Wallabee will hop around the room, trying to crush you. Keep moving to avoid it. After every 3 or 4 hops, he'll fire his weapon. His shotgun has an extremely wide blast range, so simply trying to roll away won't work. If you see him cock his shotgun, hurry up and hide behind something before he fires. Use the desks and cabinets for cover. The furniture won't last forever, so don't waste too much time. You can't shoot Wallabee, he'll block it with his shotgun. Bark can't hit him, he'll defend himself. Bombs won't work either, he'll dodge them. How do you damage him then? Look up. There are two light bulbs in the ceiling. Shoot them out to render the room in darkness. Now he can't see you, but you can't see him either…until you push the Z button to turn on your Nightvision Goggles. Since he can't see, he's unable to block or dodge your attacks. You can damage him now. After you hurt him, he'll flee into the next room. It'll be lit, so repeat the process. There are 3 lights to shoot out this time, and in the next room there will be 4. There will be 5 to shoot out in the final room. Remember his shotgun, hide from it. A total of 4 hits will take the kangaroo down.

Nack will recieve a new weapon at this point. Which weapon he'll get depends on how well you did during the Wallabee fight. If you got hit 0 to 2 times, you get the flamethrower (holds 120 units aka 12 seconds of continuous fire). If you got hit 3-4 times, you get the shotgun (holds 14 rounds). If you got hit 5-6 times, you get a matching Revolver. If you got hit 7+ times, you get a taser.

Wallabee lied motionless on the floor, chest soaked in his own blood. Nack dug into his pocket and took out the rest of his pay of 90 grand. "Thanks for the money. It's been a…pleasure doing business with you. Heh."

Bark panted. "That'll teach you….Whew…that was pretty tense…" 

"Well…that's one down, one to go. Once we beat Kygaroo, whole ordeal will end." Bean said.

Suddenly, the room rumbled violently…and a loud ominous hum sounded above. The room suddenly became darker. Shelves tumbled, spilling their contents. Vases and lamps fell over and broke.

Bark looked around. "What the…what is going on here? Something shook the room."

Bean wondered that as well. "I don't know…an earthquake maybe?"

"It sounds like it came from the roof. Let's go see what it is." Nack told them.

The three hauled it up the stairs to the roof of Headquarters. This was a surprise, as they were in awe at the sight before them. A gigantic futuristic airship hovered just above them, casting the trio in a huge shadow. Different colored lights flashed throughout the blimp-shaped vessel. It was about the same size as the mansion. It was fully armed too, with two huge ion cannons mounted on the front, their barrels at least 25 feet long. Nack, Bean, and Bark had never seen anything like this before. They remained silent.

An enormous 6 and a half foot tall gray wolf stood on the opposite side of them. His body was all muscle, the organic half anyway. His left eye was robotic, a tiny red bead of light. The other eye was a striking yellow. His right arm and monstrous claw was fully mechanical. His left leg and foot was all metal. He had a wide toothy grin that spread from ear to ear. Fur and steel integrated into one. Quite an intimidating beast this stranger was.

Nack, Bean, and Bark went into fighting position, not sure of what to expect. 

"Who are you…what…what the hell is going on!" the weasel demanded.

The wolf cocked his head to the side, still grinning….staring… He looked at them like they were his prey, ready to be hunted.

"I said who are you!" Nack demanded again.

He snarled as he continued to stare, then belted out a laugh. "…HA!"

"Where's Kygaroo?" the duck asked. 

"…Mueheheheheheheheh!"

"What's so damn funny?" the bear asked.

"HehehehehHAHAHAHAHA!"

"I SAID WHAT'S SO DAMN FUNNY!"

"Do you mean him?"

The wolf stepped to the side, revealing the orange kangaroo lying down. His body was split clean in half, right across the torso. Kygaroo was nothing more than a carcass, lying in a pool of his own blood. Scattered along the roof were more guards, who suffered the same fate. 

Bark covered his mouth in shock. "Holy crap..." 

Bean and Nack simply stared, mouths gaping open.

A small communicator attached to the wolf's belt beeped.

"_Newblood!"_

"Yes Master?"

"_Have you found Sonic yet?"_

"No Sire…"

"_Then stop fooling around and find him, idiot!"_

"Yes Sire…"

The communincator beeped again, shutting itself off.

"Tell us what's going on." Nack demanded.

"Heh…it's none of your business. You already know too much."

The wolf's robotic eye started to glow, and he shot a powerful red laser at Nack. The weasel jerked back as the beam pierced right through his chest.

"..ga...ah!..."

"NACK!" his friends screamed.

Everything seemed to run in slow motion as the weasel stumbled backwards. His life flashed before his eyes as he held his chest. A sharp pain ran through him. He coughed, and a bit of blood came up to his mouth. He made a few more steps back and fell off the roof, completely helpless.

"NAAAAAAACK!" they screamed again, running and looking down at their fallen comrade.

The huge wolf laughed some more at what he did. The lupine turned his head toward the clear blue sky, and then unleashed a chilling call.

"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

**End Nack's scenario.**


	4. STEPS

_Begin Sonic's scenario._

**Chapter 4 - S.T.E.P.S.**

Up high into the Earth's stratosphere…inside the Armada's mothership, The Wyvern.

In the main control room, Lord Ranoc sat like a statue in the master chair. The leader of the Armada was a rather imposing figure, wearing a silver suit of armor. His flowing blood-red cape draped down to the floor. Ranoc's face was a mystery, hidden behind a wooden raccoon mask. He held his titanium long sword in position, its tip in the floor.

In the room with Ranoc was a red-eyed albino hedgehog wearing black boots, jumping and giggling to himself as he looked out the window toward the blue planet below. A bit of drool hung from the mouth.

"ICAN'TWAITICAN'TWAITICAN'TWAITICAN'TWAIT! WHEN DO WE ATTACK? ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!" the hedgehog shouted. 

"In approximately 12 hours, we commence Phase 2 of the attack."

"DO IT NOOOOOOW! BLOW UP BLOW UP! KABOOOOOM!"

"Be patient Scramasax."

The albino covered his ears, and began to shake. "NOOOOOO! I'M SONIC THE HEDGEHOG! SONIIIIIIIC! NOT SCRAMASAX! STUPID STUPID NAME! I HATE IT! I STAB IT IN THROAT!"

"(Mmm…the depressants must be wearing off. I'll have to get him sent back to the lab.) A.I. Show me the currrent location of Newblood. He's supposed to have been back from searching the planet by now."

The large monitor in front of them bleeped. "LOCATION-OF-NEWBLOOD-…………DOWN-UNDA….SOUTH-EAST QUAD-RANT OF EARTH."

"What is he still doing there? That's where he started from."

"SONIC SAYS NEWBLOOD ON KILLY KILLY SPREE! YUP YUP!"

"…I wouldn't be surprised Scramasax. He always loved to kill."

The hedgehog pounded his fist into the metallic floor, easily denting it. "NOOOOOOOO! SCRAMASAX NO NO! SONIC YES YES!"

Ranoc sighed in irritation. He had enough of his behavior, and then pushed a button on the console. Several seconds later, a badger in a lab coat arrived in the room. He bowed in respect before the master swordsman.

"I assume he needs to be injected, my lord?"

"Yes. Take him away. His antics are starting to disgust me."

"At once my lord." the badger replied and bowed once more.

He dragged the white hedgehog away, who was drooling profusely.

Ranoc nimbly rotated the sword around, its tip still in the floor.

After the defeat of Robotnik, life didn't quite become as exciting as it was before. Sonic and Tails were grateful for world peace, but were hopelessly bored. One day they've decided to open a service called S.T.E.P.S., dedicated to helping people in need. The fox equipped the new model bi-plane "Fiona" with a specially designed radio that can pick up SOS signals from just about anywhere in the world. Once they get the signal, they track it and travel to their destination. Whatever the problem was, they would find the solution.

On a tropical island thousands of miles south of Station Square, Sonic and Tails were in a quaint seaside village. Hot and sunny was the typical forecast. A problem has stricken the populace, and the best buds got the details of the situation from Chief Mittens, an old orange tabby cat, inside his hut. The two sat back in wooden chairs, chillin' with their drinks. Sonic had ice-cold lemonade. Tails had hot herbal tea.

"What's the big problemo Chief?" the hedgehog asked.

"I'm not entirely too sure Sonic. It started a couple of days ago. The villagers here are complaining of a strange howling in the middle of the night. They can't sleep." 

Tails took a sip and savored it. "Where's the howling coming from?"

"It seems to be coming from the old ruins up north from here. A couple villagers volunteered and went there to check it out yesterday. But they haven't come back yet, and I got worried. That's when I decided to send an SOS to you guys." 

"You know us." Sonic said. "Say the motto Tails." 

"Ahem! When all else fails, call on S.T.E.P.S. (**S**onic & **T**ails **E**lite **P**roblem **S**olvers) to save your tails."

"Hahah…I'm glad to hear it…so now that you know our dilemma, will you go up north into the ruins and hopefully find and stop the source of the noise? The natives are getting quite restless."

"You can count on us!" Sonic exclaimed.

"And can you also find the two missing villagers as well? I fear for their lives. Please?"

"No worries man. We got it in the bag." He said, then turned to Tails and patted his head. "Ready to roll little buddy?"

"Ready when you are!"

"I wish you two good luck."

Sonic chuckled to himself as he crossed his arms. "We don't need luck. We got the skills."

And so Sonic and Tails gracefully exited the hut and left the village, and headed toward the north. Chief Mittens stepped outside and watched them run off into the distance.

_Stage 7: Tropic Troubles_ (Player: **Sonic**)  
Mission: Get to the ruins.  
Get ready for some classic Sonic gameplay here in the exotic tropics. Speed down the winding forest paths, loops, and across large bridges. There are some rivers that don't have bridges, so keep your speed up to skim right across the surface. Slow down and you drown. The wildlife isn't too thrilled with you being here. Leaping panthers and slithering snakes make your travels dangerous. Use your timing with the swinging vines to get over large chasms. Hold the Y button, then let go to perform the Figure 8 dash. It's faster than the spin dash but you don't roll up into a ball, leaving you vulnerable. Tails can help you out too. Press up on the C stick to have him hover over to you. Once he grabs your hands, use the analog stick and the A button to control the direction and speed of flight. A 'fly meter' will show how much pepper the fox has left. Press down on the C stick to have Tails throw 1 of 4 random items at you, but it's risky. It could be a ring monitor, a shield, a bomb, or a spiked ball. This move consumes 30 percent of the Burst Meter. Complete the stage by reaching the ancient ruins.

Sonic and Tails stood before the massive old temple. It appeared to be more than 100 feet high. Long vines draped over the cracked and crumbling walls. Odd writing and symbols were strewn throughout. The two walked to the top of the long staircase, where a large stone door blocked their entrance to the inside.

"Well this stinks…how do we get in?" Sonic asked.

Tails had already begun examinating the intricate walls, reading the old pictures and letters. He appeared to be absorbed, with his hand rubbing his chin and all.

Sonic was following him, having no clue. "…You can actually understand that gibberish?"

"Of course. This is from the Plymeria age. I read all about it."

"Pretty cool. I keep forgetting how smart you are."

"Thanks."

A few minutes later, Tails had deciphered the writing on the wall. "Alright…I think I get it now. It says here that "The fire of rage and the water of tranquility will unite to open the way to the Promised Land".

"Fire? Water? Promised Land? …I don't get it."

"I do. See that small blue eye way up there above the entrance?"

Sonic put a hand over his eyes to block out the sun, and looked up. "…Yeah…I see it."

"And that small red eye on the floor in front of me?"

"…Yeppers. There it is."

"I'm thinking we have to press those two eyes simultaneously to open the door."

"Huh…I see. Let's get crackin' then."

"Alright. I'll fly up to the blue eye, while you go over to the red eye. On the count of 3, we push them at the same time."

"Gotcha Tails. Let's do this."

"Here we go. 1…2…3!"

Both the fox and the hedgehog pushed the colored eyes in perfect synchronization. The buttons churned clockwise and inserted themselves into the wall. A moment later, the huge stone door rumbled…then it slid up, allowing access to the Ancient Ruins.

"Awesome! You did it Tails! We're in!"

"Aw shucks…"

They took a step inside and saw a long descending staircase, lined with torches on both sides. A foreboding darkness was strongly felt within, and an eerie howl sent chills down their spines

_"hoooooooooo…."_

Tails was shaking in his boots. "W..wh…wh…was…was that Sonic?"

The hedgehog was wondering the same thing. "I wish I knew. There's only one way to find out. Don't worry, I got your back." 

"Thanks Sonic."

"I got a question for you." 

"Yeah?"

"Why did you name the new plane 'Fiona'? You never did tell me."

"…uh…It was just a name that stuck out."

"Was it someone you knew?" 

"…I……don't recall anyone with such a name." 

"…Really?"

"Yeah…"

Sonic couldn't help but laugh at the hint of red on Tails' face. "C'mon man. Details! I need details! Was this Fiona…your girlfriend?"

"Oh no! Look over there! Robotnik's back!"

"Where!" 

Tails chuckled as he ran down the staircase, deeper into the old fortress. It took a few seconds before Sonic turned back around. 

"Sneaky little…! (though I did that on purpose…I'll let you off the hook…for now.)"

He ran inside, not too far behind Tails. 

_Stage 8: Ancient Ruins_ (Player: **Sonic**)  
Mission: Get to the source of the howling.  
Speed through the hallways and slide down narrow twisting passageways. These old ruins are full of dangers. In addition to the panthers and snakes, be prepared to run from boulders, Indiana Jones style. Move left and right to stay within the path and out of harm's way. Certain doors won't open until you flip the switch above it. Tails will prove helpful when that time comes. Poisonous blow darts will shoot out of certain walls, so keep your eyes peeled. If you get poisoned, you will gradually lose rings (2 per second) until you die. Press left on the C stick and Tails will toss you an antidote. This move consumes 10 percent of the Burst Meter, so it's in your best interest to conserve your Burst. Reach the Centre Chamber to complete the stage.

In the deepest, darkest part of the ruins, the hedgehog and fox slid down the last passageway into a rather small square room. That cold dark chill was as strong as ever. A statue of an eye was on each of the four sides.

"What…is this place…." Tails asked, looking around.

The low temperature made both of their breaths visible in the air.

"You got me. Geez. Feels a bit nippy in here."

That familiar howl rang through the room, putting both of them on edge.

_"Hooooooooooo…."_

"EEP! Sonic! Look!"

A swarm of glowing blue ghosts suddenly appeared from within the gray stone walls, looking sad yet angry. 

"Looks like we found the source of the howling. Hey ghosties! What's up with all the booing and hooing? The peeps in the village can't get a wink of sleep with you doing that all night!"

_"Hooooooooooo…perhaps THESE ones can put our souls at ease…we need to rest….it hurts to exist like this…put us out of our misery…please….strange spiny blue creature….and double-ended puppy dog…please…send us to the other side….where we may sleep eternally…hooooooooooo….."_

"Well…if that's what they want, let's give it to them. Maybe it'll stop the noise. Tails, you ready? Like I said, I got your back."

"Thanks Sonic. It's time for S.T.E.P.S. to add another notch to their belt."

_Boss: Centre Chamber_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Teamwork will play a big part here. There is an eye statue on each of the four sides of the room. One will turn red and shoot a fireball at you, then reverts back to gray. The other statues will do the same in an alternating pattern. Meanwhile, the swarm of ghosts will slowly follow you around the room. Don't touch them or the fireballs or you'll take damage. When a statue turns red, attack it and it'll turn blue. A 20 second countdown will begin. You have to make the other 3 statues turn blue within the time limit. If you don't succeed, it'll start over. Once you turn all the statues blue, a switch will appear in the ceiling. Have Tails fly you up to that switch and pull it. A door will open above and the bright sunlight will kill the ghosts. More groups will appear afterwards. Kill all 3 swarms of ghosts to pass.

_"….Thank…..you….."_ the ghosts said before slowly fading away from existence.

Sonic and Tails felt proud of themselves and gave each other high-fives. A secret door opened in the north side of the room, revealing the two villagers who came before them. Two skinny orange tabby cats, Jon and Rei. They ran out with looks of absolute relief.

"So…Sonic! And…Tails! Thank goodness! I thought we would be stuck in there forever!"

"We couldn't figure out what to do in that room, so the ghosts got angry and trapped us in here!"

"No worries now you guys…we're just glad you're still alive. Let's get outta here."

"Yes…yes…please."

"Those words have never sounded so good."

In two shakes of a fox's tail, they were all back in the Chief's hut. It was the early afternoon, still plenty of daylight left.

"Sonic, Tails, Jon, and Rei…all of you came back…thank the moons. Are you all okay?"

"We're all fine. We've got rid of the problem Chief. I don't think you'll hear any more howling from now on." 

"How can we ever repay you?"

"No charge!" Tails replied. "That's the best thing about our service! It's free! The satisfaction of a job well done is enough for us." 

"Bless your hearts. All of us here in the village thank you. Really, we do."

"Your very welcome. If you got a problem, feel free to call us." Sonic said, then raised the victory sign. "Peace!"

The two nodded, and left the hut. They walked across the seaside village toward their plane, which was sitting on the beach. Not really paying attention, they bumped into an old stranger simply walking along.

Sonic apologized. "Oh…sorry about that man…whoa…"

Tails couldn't say anything.

A rather short, 3'9'' to be exact, owl dressed in a silk black cloak and hood loomed over them. His shadow seemed to betray his height, which concerned Sonic and Tails. The wrinkles and rings around his piercing yellow eyes revealed that his time in this world had been quite long. An old, gnarled walking stick was held in his right wing. He had on a necklace of orbs that gleamed colors in the sunlight. That face of his…the way those eyes pierce into them…the duo couldn't help but feel like they were staring into the face of Death.

"Oh…pardon me…" the owl said in a light, raspy voice.

The stranger nodded and continued slowly hobbling past like nothing happened. The hedgehog and fox looked at the owl, then at each other with the same thing on their minds.

"Creepy guy…" Tails commented.

"I'll say. That bird gives me the heebie jeebies."

"Did you see his eyes?"

"Yeah man…wow…it felt like he had x-ray vision or something…like he could see right through me…"

They both turned toward the old owl…but he was gone, nowhere to be seen.

"…Uhh…what the…where did he go Tails? He was RIGHT THERE."

"…What? Did he…did he disappear? The guy could barely walk, he couldn't have went far."

"Hmm…odd. Ah well…let's not worry about it. Let's continue on."

The two resumed in walking to the Fiona, which awaited them by the clear blue water.

"Alright. Let's see if we got any SOS signals while we were gone…" Tails said before pushing a button on the radio.

_"KSSSSSSH This is Jack Rabbit here in Sandblast City! There's a big problem….we need KSSSSH If you can hear us….KSSSSSSH BACK! NO! STAY BACK! KSSSSH Please! Anybody! KSSSSH"_

The transmission cut off.

Sonic scratched his head. "Huh…Sandblast City eh? Looks like another job for the Sonic & Tails Elite Problem Solvers."

"Let's move."

Both leapt onto the red and orange Fiona bi-plane, with Tails at the helm and Sonic standing on the wing. The fox started the engine. The plane started to move, and began gaining speed. It buzzed loudly as the wheels left the ground, and they were flying higher into the wild blue yonder.

**_Next Chapter: A Dangerous Love_**


	5. A Dangerous Love

**Chapter 5 - A Dangerous Love**

The Fiona plane lowered its speed as it flew over their destination, Sandblast City. It was a bustling place surrounded by endless desert. A huge wall circled around the town, separating life from the never-ending sand. The sun was beginning to dip into the horizon.

"Wooow…so this is Sandblast City…I've heard about it but I've never actually seen it." Tails said.

"Yeah…this place is pretty big. I wonder what the problem is…ah well, I don't think it's anything we can't handle."

They've landed on the Sandblast City airstrip, where Jack Rabbit and his posse were waiting. The gray rabbit had an eye-patch over his left eye.

Jack and Sonic met with a handshake. "Ahh…the legend himself…the savior of our planet…the fastest thing alive…Sonic the Hedgehog…and his little sidekick Tails. I humbly thank you for gracing us with your presence."

Sonic laughed out loud. "Heh heh…it's nice to see you too! You must be Jack Rabbit."

"That's right Sonic. Thanks for coming. Let me introduce my crew. This is Blitzer the Wolf, Sneaks the Weasel, and Buster the Lizard."

Tails looked at the three other members of the posse, who were chuckling to themselves. "Thanks for the welcome. What seems to be the problem? We received your SOS signal."

"Oh that? You don't need to worry about that. We took care of the problem already." 

"Ohh…What was wrong?" Sonic asked.

"Our city was stormed by a large group of bandits. There was a lot of rioting in the streets. Stores were broken into, people were getting beaten, a lot of panic and chaos. We thought we were outnumbered and made the distress signal, but it turned out that it wasn't needed. Everyone in the city banded together and fought back."

The fox pondered. "…Really?"

"That's right."

"Well in that case…I guess we'll be going then. It's been nice.." 

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"How would you like a tour of the city? There's something really cool that I want to show you. I ensure you that you'll like it."

Sonic and Tails looked each other, and they both shrugged their shoulders. 

"Eh…why not? We got time. Tour away Jack." the hedgehog replied.

He gave a sincere smile, as well as his gang. "You'll love it. Trust me. Alright, let's start the tour." 

The hedgehog and fox followed Jack & his crew around Sandblast City, admiring the townfolk and its establishments. People all around were in disbelief seeing their hero Sonic walking the streets.

"SONIC! OH MY GOSH! IT'S REALLY HIM!"

"I MUST BE SEEING THINGS! IS THAT…IS THAT SONIC!"

"SONIC! SONIC! YOU'RE MY HERO!"

"CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?" 

"As you can see Sonic, you're quite the popular one around here. Everyone here knows the story of how you saved the world by heart."

People all over the street swarmed around him and his two-tailed buddy. Tails had to fly up to save himself from being bum rushed. Sonic was busy signing autographs and shaking hands.

_Mini-Game: Autograph Session_ (Player: **Sonic**)  
Goal: Sign as many autographs as possible  
A set of five random button commands (ex. A, L, Right, X, Y) will appear on the screen. Input them in as fast as possible. If you get one button wrong, you'll start the current set over. Once you input a set correctly, Sonic will sign one autograph. The next set of commands will appear. Sign as many autographs as possible within the 30 second time limit. You'll get a 1-up for every 7 autographs you sign.

Jack began to brush the mob away. "AHEM! Alright you savages, move along now! Let the man have some room! Shoo! Scat! Beat it! Shame on you! You'll get your chance!"

Eventually, they broke off and scattered. Sonic snickered as he brushed himself off. "Lovely crowd." 

"Aren't they? Sorry for the interruption…now…let's continue the tour. Ah!" Jack pointed. "That there is called The Oasis, the most popular nightclub in the city. It's the only place in the world where they serve the impeccable Cactus Soda." 

"Cactus Soda?" Tails asked.

"It's real good stuff. I suggest you try it. It's made from the water stored inside a cactus, mixed with a bit of pure sand sugar, carbon salt, corn syrup, and the secret ingredient which makes it a step above the rest."

The hedgehog was curious. "What's the secret ingredient?"

"Hah hah! Do you know what the word 'secret' means, Sonic?"

"Yeah yeah…I get it. Your lips are sealed…" The hedgehog started panting heavily, thirst was setting in. "Whew…it sure is hot out here…that cactus soda DOES sound good right about now."

"Trust me…once you try it, you'll be wondering what you've been drinking before. C'mon everyone…let's have a round."

Sonic, Tails, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster went inside The Oasis. Business was booming, as well as the thumping music in the background. The neon-lit place was full of laughter and chatter. There was such a high-spirited vibe. They helped themselves to some seats at the bar. 

"Hey Jack!" the female bartender greeted. "What can I do for you today?"

"(Hmm…for a city that was just attacked, everyone seems so upbeat...)" Tails thought.

"Six Cactus Sodas Mary!"

"Comin' right up…hey wait a minute! You there! Are you…Sonic the Hedg…"

"No no! It's just someone in disguise. Heh heh. This dude loves Sonic so much, he decided to dress up as him!"

"Ahh…I see…very nice costume! That looks real…a little TOO real! Well, I'll be back real soon with your sodas."

The bartender left. 

"Thanks for covering for me Jack." he whispered.

"No problem."

Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster were chattering. Sonic peeked up and looked toward the back of the bar, where most of the patrons partied up and had themselves a good time.

"Hmm?"

Sonic looked closer and thought he saw that same person from before…that owl…dressed in a black cloak and orb necklace…just staring at him.

He leaned over to his friend and whispered. "(Hey Tails.)"

"(What? Why are you whispering?)"

"(Never mind that…look over there…in the very back corner of the bar.)"

"(…Oookay…)"

Tails peeked up and looked in the direction Sonic told him. His eyes searched through the hustling crowd and colored lights. He sat back down again several seconds later.

"(Did you see him?)"

"(See who?)"

"(The owl that we bumped into on the beach.)"

"(No…I didn't see him. Is he all the way here? Seriously?)"

"(Yeah…I just saw him not even a minute ago. He was sitting RIGHT there.)"

"(Well I don't see him now.)

"(Huh…maybe he left…)"

"(Maybe.)"

The bartender returned and started handing the lime-colored drinks out. "Here you go guys. Six cactus sodas. On the house!"

"Thanks. Sonic. Tails. You're in for quite a treat. Alright everyone. Bottom's up!"

At the same time, all six took a good swig of the beverages. In a matter of seconds, they were all empty. 

Tails felt a nice rush. "Mmm…an absolute knockout of the taste buds! The tiny prickles give it a shocking, yet smooth edge. This is some awesome stuff!"

Sonic felt good as well. "Ahh…tangy, sweet, yet absolutely refreshing! I've been missing out! Jack, this cactus soda is…great!"

"Heh heh! Told ya so! Best and only cactus soda right here!"

Just then a panicking hyena ran into the bar. The music stopped. Everyone froze and looked at him. "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Someone please help me!"

"What's wrong?" Sonic asked.

"My child is lost in the desert!"

"What! How!"

"My son David and I were gathering water from the cactuses out in the desert north of here, and I guess we must've got sidetracked or something because I couldn't find him anywhere! I dunno how the heck it happened. He was right behind me! It's like he disappeared! I yelled out his name, but no response. I was hoping he was back home, but he wasn't there either."

Sonic stood up. "That's truly a shame. I'm sorry about your son. How about we try and look for him?"

"SONIC! The legendary hero! Oh could you pleeeease look for him? I would be forever in your debt! Last I saw my David, he was in the desert north of here."

"Looks like S.T.E.P.S. is needed after all." Tails said, standing up as well. "Let's go Sonic."

"We'll be back with your child in no time!"

"You'll see an oasis in the northeast part of the desert, that's where we usually get the water. Go there. Hopefully you'll find him sooner than that." 

With that, Sonic and Tails left The Oasis bar and left Sandblast City. Into the desert they go..

_Stage 9: Dusty Hill_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Find the oasis.  
Run, run, run through the harsh desert, being careful not to collide into any cactuses. Scorpions will appear from under the sand for a quick sting and vultures will try to dive-bomb you, so keep on your toes. Some powerup monitors are actually mirages disguised as quicksand, so don't rush into them. If you're getting sucked in, jump repeatedly to get yourself out. Sandstorms will start to occur in the later part of the stage. If you see the wind start to pick up, hide behind a cactus or the side of a hill. You'll get blown away if you don't take cover in time. Pass the level by getting to the circle formation of cactuses.

Night has fallen upon the land. The temperature was much cooler than it was earlier, but didn't faze the heroes.

"Here's the oasis that hyena was talking about. No David here either. Tails, you didn't happen to see him on the way here did you? I know I didn't." 

"I'm afraid not Sonic."

"Tch…hold on Tails, let me look around."

Sonic zipped to the north in a burst of sand, out of sight. There was nothing. He returned, and zipped to the east. Nothing there either. The hedgehog returned again, and zoomed to the west. There was nobody in sight. He rushed back to the oasis. No luck in finding the kid. He even backtracked through the way they came. With a flash he came back. Nope.

"Man…where is he!"

"Let me see if I can find him." Tails offered.

He started up his twin tails and gained altitude. The fox zipped straight up and up and up into the dark sky. He was hundreds of feet above the endless sand, and had an excellent view of the barren land. Tails put on some binoculars and searched around, left and right, up and down. There were cactuses, bones, sand…but still no child. He descended back to ground level.

"David…isn't…anywhere." 

Sonic shook his head in disappointment. "I guess we'll have to tell him the bad news. Geez…I feel so bad…"

"It's not your fault Sonic. We've tried our best. Let's go back to our plane in Sandblast City. We can search for him that way."

Not a moment too soon they were back in the still-hectic city and returned to The Oasis Bar.

Sonic had his hands behind his back with a somber look on his face. "I'm sorry Mister…we couldn't find…huh?"

The hyena was sitting in his seat, laughing and playing with a certain child.

Sonic felt a jump in his heart. "Whoa! Is…is that your son…you've found David!"

"Yeah…sorry about that Sonic. It turned out that he was in my house all along. I guess I was panicking too much to check upstairs in his room.."

"…Really?" Tails asked with a suspicious look on his face.

"Yeah." 

"(Something funny's going on here…)" the fox thought. 

Jack and his crew were still at the bar, kicking back with more cactus soda.

"Glad you're back Sonic! Sorry for the false alarm. He can be quite forgetful when he's terrified." 

"It's okay. I'm just glad he found his son." 

"Say…you two must be pretty tired. I could have you stay at the guesthouse for the night, but there's one more thing I have to show ya before that."

"What is it?"

"Follow me."

Sonic and Tails followed Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster to the main plaza of the city. Before them was a 30 foot statue of a familiar figure, standing tall and proud. It was the hedgehog himself, looking determined with his arms crossed. Etched in the tablet below was "Sonic the Hedgehog. The Savior of Earth." 

The two's jaws hung to the floor at the impressive sight. It was an articulate piece of work. Sonic felt good to be in a place where thousands of fans adored him.

"Heh heh! I knew you'd like it. Just about everyone in the city pitched in with the funding to have this statue erected. Pure solid marble."

"I..I…I'm speechless! This is…this is…NICE!"

"Looks just like you Sonic!"

"Yeah it does…you guys did a great job on this. I'm impressed."

"Thank you. It's no trouble at all."

Jack and his crew let the two absorb and gaze at the inspiring statue. Many minutes later Tails yawned, immediately followed by Sonic.

"…Like I said, you must've been tired from running through the desert well into the night." the rabbit added.

"Yeah…we are pretty tuckered out." Sonic replied.

"Follow me."

Before long, Sonic and Tails were in a nice comfy bedroom of the guesthouse. It was right in the plaza where the statue was. Spread out were two beds, a washroom, nice wallpaper and rugs, not to mention pricy looking furniture and decorations.

Jack was at the steel door with his posse. "Thanks for visiting Sonic and Tails. I'm sure you'll have a big day tomorrow… so get plenty of rest. Sleep well…and have yourselves a good night."

"Thanks Jack. You too." Sonic said.

"Good night." Tails wished.

The rabbit shut the door and the room was left silent. The two tucked themselves into their beds.

"Night Tails. Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Night Sonic."

Sonic was asleep within a minute. Tails was about to say something, but he changed his mind and turned for the night.

The next morning… 

At a quarter til nine, both Sonic and Tails stretched themselves out after waking up from their comfortable places of rest. 

"Sleep well little buddy?"

"I sure did. Those were some real soft beds."

"Good. Let's back to the Fiona. I'm starting to miss Station Square."

Sonic sprung up and tried to open the door, but it was locked. He twisted and turned, but the steel door wouldn't budge.

"What the heck! It's locked from the outside?"

"I knew it…" Tails muttered.

A voice bellowed from the intercom in the ceiling. "Sonic…Sonic…Sonic…and Tails! Good morning!" 

"…Jack? What's going on here!"

In a small room, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster were watching with sly grins at the surveillance monitors. They were keeping tabs on the hedgehog and fox the whole time.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave Sonic the Hedgehog. We need you to stay here…"

"…It was all a trick…"

"That's right Sonic. I'm sorry I had to lure you here with that SOS signal. That story with the bandits attacking our town? That was a lie. That KSSSSH! was a nice touch, wasn't it?"

"Why you little…"

"Once again I apologize Sonic…but you need to remain in our city…you HAVE to remain in our city…"

"I'm sorry but, this is one hedgehog that isn't planning on sticking around!"

He spun around into a razor-sharp ball, and started grinding against the steel door. Sparks flew everywhere.

"It won't work Sonic! No matter how much you spin into that steel door, it won't budge! You might as well give…wha?"

The hedgehog spun right through the door, leaving a smoking hole. "Let's get outta here Tails! To the Fiona! Quick!"

"Right!"

"Dang nabbit!" Jack yelled.

The rabbit and company scrambled and left the surveillance room in a hurry.

Sonic and Tails ran through the busy streets of Sandblast City, and soon enough Jack and the gang were in hot pursuit on motorcycles.

The long-eared leader pointed straight ahead. "Get 'em boys! But don't ya dare harm any of 'em!"

_Stage 10: Sandblast Chase_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Get to the Fiona plane.  
Sonic and Tails will automatically be running toward the foreground, with Jack's posse right on your tail. They will be using non-lethal weapons such as concussion grenades and stun guns to subdue you. Oncoming traffic will present a problem as well. A red X will appear where the vehicle's position will be, so get away from it. An arrow pointing left or right will sometimes appear as well. Press L or R when the arrow shows up to turn a corner. If you don't turn in time, you'll crash into a building. Complete the stage by reaching the hangar. 

The two rushed inside the huge hangar. There was the plane, the Fiona, sitting there right in the middle.

"There it is Tails! Our ticket out of here. Let's get on and……aww great…" 

There were 4 large thick chains, tying various parts of the plane to the floor. Two were strapped tight around the wheels; the other two were strapped around the wings. They weren't going anywhere.

Tails sighed. "Man, they REALLY must not want us to leave."

The 4 pursuers caught up to the pursuees. One by one, they stepped off their motorcycles.

"Forget it." Jack told them. "Those chains are made of triple-thick steel. It won't be that easy. Remember when the hyena 'lost his son in the desert'?"

"Let me guess…another lie." Tails replied.

"That's right. While you were busy running around out there, we took the liberty of tying your plane down." 

Sonic was busy inspecting the chains closely. "…Heh. I think I can cut through these. It'll take a while, but I can do it….Tails! Keep them busy while I concentrate on freeing the plane."

"Okay Sonic. I'll do my best."

The hedgehog rolled into a ball and began slicing through the first chain.

Again, the rabbit pointed straight ahead. "Stop them! But like I said before, don't y'all dare hurt 'em!" 

_Boss: Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, Buster_ (Player: **Tails**)  
Sonic will be busy cutting through the chains. It'll take approximately 2 minutes for him to finish. Until then, all you have to do is survive the attacks of Jack and the crew. Jack will toss concussion grenades. Get caught by the blast and you'll be dazed for a short time. If you're feeling bold, you can throw them back if you wish. Sneaks will lay net traps around the hangar. Step into one and you'll be ensnared, temporarily slowing you down. Blitzer will use the Tranquilizer Gun. If you fall asleep, mash on the buttons to wake back up. Buster won't do anything unless you're slowed down, dazed, or asleep. But if you're suffering from any of these ailments, he'll start walking toward you. If he grabs you, you lose a life. Make sure to stay far away from him. Pass this boss by simply staying out of their clutches for 2 minutes.

Sonic cut the last of the chains. "All right! Finally! Tails, get over here and start the engine!"

"NOOOOO! STOP THEM DANG NABBIT!"

The fox complied and the aircraft sputtered to life, the propeller spinning. The hedgehog leapt on the wing, and the plane was soon speeding out of the hangar, then down the runway.

"Arggghh! You won't get away! You CAN'T get away!" Jack yelled, shaking his fist. He and the others were chasing after the plane, but it was no use.

The Fiona left the ground and into the blue sky. At last, they were free from Sandblast City.

"Whew…that was close. What was their problem? Why did they want to have you stay there so badly?" Tails asked.

"Heh. I'm guessing this is what happens when simple admiration evolves into an unhealthy obbession."

Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster grumbled as they watched the plane fade into the distance.

"Huh…it's a shame really, it's nice to be liked and all but…that's pretty extreme."

"Yeah…"

"Tails, did we receive any SOS signals while we were gone?"

"Let me check." 

He pushed a button on the radio. _"KSSSSHHH Help! I need help! Sonic! Tails! I'm trapped…Cascade…vault…Help! KSSSSHHHH"  
_  
"Someone's trapped in Cascade…sounded like a woman…" Sonic muttered.

"That new building in Station Square…"

"…"

"Is something wrong Sonic? You look troubled."

"That voice sounds so familiar…I've heard it somewhere before."

"Yeah…me too…and this woman specifically called for us."

"Hmm…well then…let's head back to Station Square. Once we rescue this person, let's go pay a visit to Amy and Rouge. I'd like to see how they're doin'."

"That's a good idea. We haven't seen them ever since the Ark incident."

Their next destination, Station Square was merely a tiny speck in the horizon. The Fiona kept pressing forward.

**_Next Chapter: The Enemy Revealed_**


	6. The Enemy Revealed

**Chapter 6 – The Enemy Revealed**

Miles high above Station Square, in the Armada's mothership, The Wyvern.

Newblood stepped into the control room, where Lord Ranoc and a controlled Scramasax sat in their seats. The half-robotized gray wolf gave a bow of respect to the mysterious swordsman, whose face was still hidden behind the wooden raccoon mask.

"HOOOOOOWL! Good news sire! I've finally found the location of Sonic the Hedgehog. He's currently in Station Square, just as Scramasax sensed."

The pure white hedgehog's eyes were halfway open. He didn't move a muscle.

"Good good good…" Ranoc replied, holding his sword in place. "A.I. Are all 100 of the battleships positioned above Station Square armed and ready?"

The monitor beeped. "Affirmative. The battleships are in attack mode, ready to deploy at any time."

"Excellent." The swordsman said with appeasement, then pushed a button on the console, summoning the badger in a lab coat.

It wasn't long before he entered and bowed before him. "Yes, My Lord?"

"What is Scramasax's bio-rhythmic status."

The badger had a small device. It appeared to be a palm pilot with a small needle attached. He stepped over and inserted the needle into the hedgehog's arm. Scramasax didn't flinch and just kept looking straight ahead. Several seconds later, the scientist got a reading.

"He is at 92 sire. I estimate it will take approximately 2 and a half hours for him to reach the full 100."

"Good, you are dismissed."

With that, the scientist bowed once more and left.

Newblood crossed his arms, and snarled in impatience. "HA! I guess we'll wait until then Ranoc?"

"Yes. We will wait. Sonic is a hard hedgehog to find. I cannot afford any mistakes. When the time comes, we will come at full force…and Newblood, I am counting on you to subdue that blue hedgehog. Do NOT kill him."

The wolf felt cocky, giving the thumbs down. "Heh heh! I'll try not to."

"You better not, or you will answer to me."

Newblood gave a nervous laugh. "Heh heh…Y…ye…yes sir."

Ancient gold runes were etched into Ranoc's blade, at the base. The English translation was "Black Jackal." With a swift motion he put the long sword back into its sheath. A sharp click sounded as the hilt made contact.

The Fiona landed onto the Station Square airstrip, and the two were soon walking down the busy main street. It felt good to be back in this city, which they considered their second home. They couldn't relax quite yet though.

"Here we go. It's this way. The signal is getting really strong." the hedgehog said as he scratched his ear.

Sonic and Tails made a left a ways down at the next block. The Casinopolis has had a remodel since its establishment a few years back. In addition to the usual games, an arcade section has been added, appealing to a wider crowd. Because of the combination of the casino and arcade, the name has changed to Cascade. Its flashy neon sign still attracted people from all over Station Square. 

_Stage 11: Cascade_ (Player: **Tails**)   
Mission: Rescue the one in distress.  
You can go to the vault in the lobby at any time to deposit your rings. From the main lobby, there are two sections you can go to: The Arcade and The Casino. In the arcade section you can play games such as air hockey. In this game use the analog stick to move the paddle around, push the A button when the puck hits your paddle to give it some extra oomph. Hold the R button just as the puck touches your paddle to hold it. Use the analog stick to aim, and release the R button to shoot it. Score a point by shooting the puck into the opponent's goal. Be the first to get 5 points to win 50 rings. You can also play the Sonic the Fighters arcade game here too. Pick a player and fight your way through 7 other opponents, best 2 out of 3 rounds. 20 rings are awarded for every opponent you pass. In the casino section, you can play the pinball/slot machine table featured in the original SA. You'll get 3 balls. Get certain combinations on the slots to score/lose rings. You can also hit the various bumpers and targets to get rings. If you have less than 100 rings when you lose all your chances, you go straight to the garbage..

Here are the winning combinations.

3 Sonics: 50 rings  
3 Tails: (T-Kickback) 25 rings + a bumper will be placed between the flippers for 30 seconds  
3 Knuckles: 20 rings + flame shield  
3 Sallys: Depends on how many balls you have left. 3 balls 30 rings, 2 balls40 rings, 1 ball50 rings  
3 Nacks: (Stick em up!) Lose 50 rings  
3 Antoines: For 30 seconds the flippers will become twice as small, but slot winnings will be doubled.

You can also play blackjack in the Casino. Make a wager for each hand (minimum20 rings). Beat the house to win 2X your wager, beat the house with a 21 to win 3X your wager. If you have 5 cards and you're still not over 21, you automatically win…and you'll get 5X your wager. If you lose or if there's a tie, you lose rings equivalent to your wager. Complete the stage by depositing 400 rings into the vault, allowing access to the other side. Your person in distress is waiting.

A tall slender woman in an expensive red blouse stood there before them. She had short curly blonde hair and bright hazel eyes. With a huge grin on her face, she ran across to the hedgehog. Her face brightened as she started hugging him.

"Oh! Thank you! Thank you! I thought I would never get outta there!"

"Uhhh…the President's assistant? What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my lunch break, so I decided to go to my favorite pastime. The Casino."

"How in the world did you get trapped in the vault?"

"I unknowingly dropped the key on my way there. While I was depositing my chips, I accidently closed the door and locked myself inside."

"Why didn't you just ask the President for assistance? Why call us instead?"

"Oh heavens no! If the President knew I was gambling, he would blow a gasket!"

"Okaaaay…"

"You two promise you won't tell him, right?"

Sonic and Tails both gave a scout's honor.

"Don't worry Ms. Assistant. Your secret's safe with us. Just be more careful next time, eh?"

"Oh thank you thank you…Sonic and Tails…I won't get in your way again. Promise! I'll see you guys later!"

With that, she quickly got herself together and ran out the door in a semi-professional manner.

"Well…that was…something." Sonic commented.

"…Yeah…it was."

The two left the air-conditioned Cascade and out into the heat. They walked down a couple of blocks toward the apartment complex.

Amy's apartment was on the second floor. They jogged down the street, right into the building, and up the stairs to her room. Room 128. Tails was whistling to himself as Sonic knocked on the door.

"knock knock"

"Who is it?"

"Yo. It's Sonic and Tails."

"!"

"Uhhh…hello?"

"…SONIC!" 

Amy burst out through the door and tackled Sonic to the ground. Tails turned around and pretended not to see anything. 

"Ooh…Sonic! I've missed you so much! I've been worried that you might've died! Ooh…now gimme a kiss you big hunk o hedgehog!"

"Ah! Would you relax? Amy, stop! T..Tails…help me out would ya!"

The fox was covering his ears and closing his eyes. "LALALALALALALALA."

"Oh thanks a lot Tails! Ignore a friend in need! Eep! Ah! Amy! Calm down! Stop trying to kiss me! TAIIIIILS!"

"LALALALALALALALA. I see nothing! I hear nothing!"

"Oh…you just wait Tails…you just wait…"

Amy got up and let the blue hedgehog have some breathing room. "…Sorry about that. It's just that if I waited any longer, I would've exploded! I've been preparing something rather special for your return Sonic."

"…Oh?" Sonic and Tails looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

Amy walked back inside her apartment and signaled for them to come along. "Do you like what I've done with the place? I've got it redecorated. A friend of mine painted these beautiful portraits of us together. There's one in every room, so I get to see ya even when you're not here! The carpet and walls are blue, just like you!"

Amy pointed to the table. "See there? I've got a nice candlelit dinner prepared in the dining room. Some fine sparkling white grape soda, strawberry aromatic candles, chili dogs for you and spaghetti for me. I've always liked watching you eat Sonic…you have the cutest little expression on your face whenever you chew."

She pressed a button on the remote, and the lights dimmed low. "Ah…yes…" She pressed another button and soft romantic music began to play. "Mmm…very soothing…" 

The pink hedgehog sighed as she fell back and laid on the couch. "…And I was thinking after we had dinner Sonic, we could cuddle up together and just…talk. You know, about…us. About our likes and dislikes. About what makes us tick. About our future together. About what we could name our kids...oh Sonic…I don't think I could live without you. I think we were destined for each other. Do you…feel the same way about me Sonic?…Sonic?….SONIC?" 

Sonic and Tails were no longer in sight. There was nothing but a faint cloud of dust. A tumbleweed rolled on by.

"…Perhaps I came on a little too strong?"

The hedgehog and fox were hauling tail down the street.

"…huff I think she puff likes you Sonic."

"Thank you Sherlock. What was your first clue?"

"Why don't you become her boyfriend? You two should get together!"

"How about……no?" 

"So-nic and A-my sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" 

"Hey now! Let's not forget what the name of your plane is! Eh? EH! Would you remind me what you named it?"

"…Touche." 

"Alright then. We're even alright? The President's Office Building is right down at the next block. Let's go see what Rouge is up to."

The secret service nodded and stepped aside as they ascended the grand stairs. It lead up to the main hall of the President's building. The secretary was at her desk, click-clacking away at a computer.

"Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails Prower…are you two here to see the President?"

"Nah." Sonic replied. "We're just paying Rouge a visit."

"Rouge should be up at the top floor with the President. Just take the elevator over on the east wing as usual."

"Thanks Missus."

The two strolled to the elevator, two more secret service agents stepped aside. They entered and rose up to the 3rd floor of the building. The door slid open, and there was Rouge discussing something with the President. The room was round with all the features a room of this caliber should have. There was a huge window on the north end.

"Whassup Rouge. Hey Mr. Pres." 

The business-suit clad middle-aged man was reading through some paperwork. He looked up and smiled. "Hello Sonic. Sorry but I'm a little busy right now. There's a whole bunch of laws and proposals I have to revise through."

"It's cool Mr. Pres. I just wanted to talk to Rouge."

"Thanks." The President went back to continuing his work.

The bat turned around and looked pleasantly surprised. "Heyyyy! Nice to see you again Sonic and Tails! I didn't expect you two to come back so soon. How goes S.T.E.P.S.?"

"It's…been interesting, to say the least." the fox answered.

"We'll…tell you more about it later. What's been going on here you guys?" Sonic asked.

"It's been the same ol' thing. I just go around the city and spy on suspicious activity, with a few supervising projects here and there. But other than that, nothing special." 

Nothing special could hardly describe what was about to happen next. All of a sudden, the sky became darker. Citizens below looked up in a mix of anxiousness and fear. A swirl of churning clouds rumbled and formed above. A storm of lights faded into view from behind the haze, which eventually became a large fleet of airships. The Wyvern was leading the pack.

The entire city of Station Square was enveloped in darkness.

"Let's stir up a little chaos." Ranoc muttered, then pushed a button on the console. Scramasax remained still, while Newblood laughed out loud.

Massive laser cannons emerged from the front of the Wyvern, the barrels glowing hot. It was about to begin.

"READY..."

In near-perfect harmony, cannons arose from the ships' weapon bays and clicked into position. Powerful energy began to charge from within.

"FIRE!" 

The first beams of energy sweeped across Main Street, causing an immense explosion. Concrete simply crumbled underneath the impact. Cars as well as people were flying. Buildings along the avenue were demolished. 

The destruction began. A tremendous hail of laser fire shot from the other 100 ships, simply destroying everything they touched. More buildings exploded and collapsed one after another, the streets were ripped apart, blazing infernos engulfed several blocks in a row. The people screamed in horror and fled for their lives at the events taking place.

"REEVES!" The President shouted. The building was shaking violently from the nearby assault. "Dispatch fighter jets, tanks, whatever we've got! NOW! I'll get transportation ready!"

Glass shattered and the smoldering rubble began to pile up. Block after block became nothing but cruel venues of death. Car alarms sounded off at the disturbance. Men, women, and children were beside themselves, and were right in the thick of it.

"DEAR GOD! THERE IS NO HOPE!"

"THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE END!"

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

It was total panic at the Station Square Military Base as well. Soldiers were running to and fro, following orders that were screamed out. Emergency horns whooped and lights flashed. The Alert Status was at an all-time high.

"GO! GO! GO!" Commander Reeves yelled, ordering the discharge of several fighter jets into the fray. 

Sonic, Tails, and Rouge ran outside into darkened fray. Several large chunks of debris fell right across the street, creating a huge boom. Pillars of smoke stood high amongst the decimated city. Flames danced all over the place, as if celebrating death. Sirens blared as several ambulances sped on by.

Tails shook his head slowly in utter shock. "No…this…can't be happening…why…" 

Sonic looked up into the sky. "There are so many ships…not even my Super Form would be able to stop all of them…"

"I'll go see if I can find any survivors." Rouge told them. "The President has already issued several E-VAC choppers. We can't fit everyone in them, but we'll do the best we can. Sonic and Tails, can you two help me out?"

"No problem Rouge." The fox replied. "Of course we'll help."

"Good. Body counts and injuries are starting to pile up. We have to get the remaining stragglers out of here on the double."

"Where are the E-VACs taking them?"

"Doesn't matter. Just anywhere but here."

The bat flew off with Sonic and Tails following closely behind. Two fighter jets were seen high in the sky, hurdling toward the ground in trails of smoke. The tanks proved useless as well. They were nothing but large piles of scrap metal now. One more fighter jet shot two F-16 missiles at one ship, but it was too little too late. A quick laser shot from a neighboring ship made short work of the jet.

Sonic clenched his fists hard as he ran, feeling grief and fury beginning to stir in his heart.

_Stage 12: Starlight Redux_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Reach Rouge and the civilians.  
This 3-D rendition of the Star Light Zone will have you racing along highways, overpasses, and underpasses. Listen to the remixed theme as you blaze through the numerous twisting corkscrew loops, skyscraper-high loops, and steep inclines. Step carefully through the large groups of walking, ticking time bombs, ready to explode upon seeing you. Large, powerful fans will blow you away if you're not careful. Wait until they stop blowing before going past them. Watch out for the laser beams from the battleships above, demolishing everything upon contact. Dodge the enemy fire or be a crispy critter. Platforms of all flavors are in here. There are disappearing platforms, rotating platforms, spinning platforms, rising and falling platforms, crumbling platforms. It'll take some expert jumping and timing to get through them. One wrong move can send you falling. Complete the stage by reaching the Route 275 Bridge, which is high above. This is where Rouge and a large group of civilians are waiting.

A large group of people, mostly teenagers, were kneeling on the bridge. A few were tired, but most of them were injured. Pandemonium still continued throughout the city. The cannons lit up the blackened sky, and blood spread throughout the streets. Rouge was already there, contacting for help on her communicator.

"Yes, this is Rouge. We need an E-VAC chopper on the Route 275 bridge, right above the Central Park district…yeah…please hurry…okay…got it."

Rouge kneeled down and began tending to a hip 19-year old otter with a broken ankle. "Lay this way and keep the pressure off that foot. Don't worry everyone. A chopper will be here soon to get you guys to a safer place."

Sonic and Tails arrived on the scene, and with Rouge's command, helped keep the people stay calm until help arrived. A crying 10 year old bear was held onto the hedgehog's shoulder. The fox was helping the bat with tending the injuries.

"The helicopter should be here any moment now." Rouge told them.

She was partially right. Several minutes later than expected, a large blue whirlybird appeared from below and settled down on the bridge itself, several feet from the group. Fur and quills waved as the propeller created a high-speed wind, which gradually slowed down.

"'Bout time!" Sonic shouted. "Thought you guys would never get here!"

"Sorry about that." The pilot said on the intercom. "We had a few run-ins."

The door to the copter folded down into a ramp. One by one, Rouge, Sonic, and Tails carried the hurt into their arms and carried them onboard. The rest went on in a single file line.

"WHOA! HEADS UP!" a surprised Sonic shouted.

The hedgehog and his kitsune friend quickly ducked underneath a flaming mid-size car that flew right past them. It collided with the road with crunching impact, rolling over at least nine times in a fiery blaze before stopping on its roof.

"Whew! That was too close…you okay Tails?"

"Yeah…wow…that one almost had my name on it…"

"I'm counting on you to take them out of here safely." the bat told the pilot, getting everyone seated.

"Don't worry about them. They'll be just fine."

"What a day this turned out to be…"

"I know."

Rouge turned to the outside. "Hey guys!"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for the help! I'm going to report back to the President. Do you two need a ride?"

"Nah…that's cool. We're going to try and find some more stragglers."

"Alright…I wish you good luck."

With that, the ramp changed back up into a door. The copter's blades increased in revolution and the vessel lifted off into the air. Rouge waved at them, and the two waved back. It soon vanished into the gloomy horizon.

"Ranoc! There's Sonic the Hedgehog!" Newblood shouted at the monitor, clenching his fists together. "Shall I?"

The swordsman still remained in his seat, maintaining composure. "Go right ahead. I'm sure Sonic is distraught by now. Remember, do NOT kill him."

"Yes Sire."

Ranoc made the command. "SHIPS! CEASE FIRE!"

All of the battleships abruptly stopped firing the lasers, and simply hovered. The remaining people of Station Square looked up, shaking in absolute fear. It was as though time had stopped. Frozen. The Wyvern lowered its altitude and floated just above the Route 275 bridge, right in front of Sonic and Tails. The best buds stared at the large ship before them.

A voice boomed. "SONIC THE HEDGEHOG! YOU'RE A TOUGH MAN TO FIND!"

"Who are you! Wh…WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!" he shouted, not breaking eye-contact.

"WE'RE JUST HAVING A LITTLE FUN, THAT'S ALL! I CAME TO TAKE BACK WHAT SHOULD'VE BEEN MINE LONG AGO!"

"(Wha…?)" Sonic thought.

"NEWBLOOD! TAKE CARE OF THE LITTLE BLUE HEDGEHOG!"

With a mighty howl, the 6'6'' tall cybernetic wolf leapt from the hatch on the Wyvern's roof. He crushed the concrete easily as his hulking frame made impact.

Sonic couldn't believe his eyes. "New…blood…? A half mechanical…wolf…? The heck is going on here…"

Tails was shaking and panting a bit, but held his ground. He was nervous. No one could blame him.

Newblood cackled, grinning at his whirring mecha right claw. "Alright hedgehog. My job is to subdue you, not kill you. Tch…you should be grateful. If it was up to me, I'd disembowel you on the spot."

Sonic was huffing and puffing in anger, his chest rising and falling. "I don't know who the heck you think you all are. You destroyed Station Square just for kicks…all those innocent lives…gone…Newblood…you should be the one whose grateful. If I wasn't such a nice guy, I'd rip your heart out through your eyes. Then I'm going to your captain up there and shatter every bone in his body. What you all did just now…I…I…a thousand deaths isn't good enough for you."

The blue hedgehog then took one big step forward. "Come at me you lowly dog."

Newblood pounded his metal claw into the sidewalk, furious. "I'll come at you all right! RANOC! Can I PLEASE kill this little blue rat?"

Ranoc gripped the hilt of his Black Jackal blade real tight. "NO! KNOW YOUR PLACE NEWBLOOD! YOU KILL HIM, AND I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER EXCRUCIATING PAIN A MILLION FOLD! UNDERSTAND!"

"Yes sir…"

"GOOD. NOW SUBDUE HIM, IDIOT!"

Sonic and Tails got into fighting positions. Newblood got into his stance as well, growling. The wolf rushed and came on strong with a right cross, but the hedgehog ducked under it. But Sonic didn't anticipate the sidekick following so quickly, and got struck.

"Oof!" he shouted as he flew back. The hedgehog traveled a good 15 feet before hitting the ground.

Tails ran and stood beside the wincing hedgehog. He was bent over, holding his abdomen.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay Sonic?"

"Yea…yeah. I'm fine Tails." he said, getting back to his feet.

The wolf stepped closer to them, cracking his neck and having that grin. "You're gonna have to do better than that, little pincushion."

"Lucky shot. It won't happen again."

_Boss: Newblood_ (Player: **Sonic**)  
Newblood has the ability to change his metallic claw into different weapons. You will see him pushing buttons on his arm, meaning the change will occur. Use the wrecked cars and debris scattered on the bridge for cover. With his metallic claw, he will pound the ground, creating several shockwaves. Jump or you'll get stunned for a few seconds. If he has a pulse rifle, he'll let loose with rapid fire shots. Keep running since he'll keep aiming for you. If the wolf has a ball & chain, prepare for trouble. It will bounce around the battlefield at high speed, causing potholes in the highway. Anticipate and do your best to dodge it. When the wolf brings the mini-missile launcher into play, that's your key to damage him. He'll fire a homing missile which will follow you. Get close enough to Newblood and it'll hit him instead, causing damage. Here's a couple of things to remember: Don't jump near him or he'll counter with an uppercut. Don't do a homing attack on him, he'll block and counter with a roundhouse kick. When you've damaged him 4 times, he'll bring his robotic eye into play. Every so often, he'll fire a beam which sweeps across the ground in a random pattern. Red lines will appear where the beam has struck. Stay away from those red lines or get caught in the imminent blast. Damage him 2 more times to pass Newblood.

Newblood was lying face down on the ground, not moving. Sonic looked down at the beast with a disgusted look on his face. "…Arrogant wolf. Tails…We still have some unfinished business."

They stepped up to the edge of the bridge, and stood before the hovering Wyvern. "Hey YOU! Where's your wolf boy now! HUH! Get down here and FACE ME! NOW!"

No response.

Sonic stepped even closer to the ship. "C'MON! GET OUT HERE! OR ARE YOU GACK!"

A chain wrapped around Sonic's neck. It was Newblood, standing right behind him. He was down but not out.

"You really didn't think that you'd beat me that easily did you?"

"ACK!" The hedgehog couldn't get a breath of air. The chain was tightly squeezing his throat.

Tails, seeing his friend in trouble, flew over and started pounding on his head. "You leave Sonic alone!"

"Beat it foxboy!" he growled, giving Tails a backfist in the face. The fox hit the ground hard, now barely conscious.

"RANOC! I'VE GOT SONIC RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT HIM! YOU CAN PROCEED WITH THE PLAN!"

The swordsman stood up in anticipation. "Excellent Newblood! Scramasax, are you ready?"

The albino hedgehog nodded without saying a word.

"Then go."

He leapt up through the open hatch in the ceiling and flew through the air, then he landed right before Sonic. Newblood released the chain off of him and he fell to the ground, desperately gasping for air. 

Scramasax crossed his arms. His face slightly twitched. "Sonic…my old comrade…how many years has it been?"

"GASP Cough! Cough!"

"It's almost a shame that you'd have to be in such a condition for our 'reunion', but beggars can't be choosers."

The albino hedgehog raised his hands up in the air, and his body glowed a bright white. In a blinding flash, he transformed into a small glowing aura of energy. The energy then went straight down Sonic's throat.

"AAAAAAAAH!" The blue hedgehog twisted and turned, holding himself tight. He screamed in agony as he felt a burning sensation begin to take over him.

"(Just relax Sonic…let the energy consume your mind and body…)" 

"GRAAAAAGH! STOP IT! STOP IT!" he screamed again, beginning to feel his insides churning.

"(You're only hurting yourself trying to resist it. I suggest you give in.)"

Tears welt up in his eyes and he howled in torment. It felt like a thousand daggers were cutting…tearing…through this body. Every fiber in his being felt unimaginable pain.

Newblood sat back and laughed at his suffering.

Tails just began to regain consciousness, and was scared seeing the hedgehog in pain. "S…Sonic…? Wha…what's wrong?"

"(Accept your fate! Submit!)"

Sonic grit his teeth, fighting and pressing his will to hold on. "NO!"

"(SUBMIT!)"

"GET…OUT…OF…MY…BODY!" 

"(…Wha? No! NO!)"

Sonic breathed deep and coughed hard, the glowing aura shot right back out of his mouth. Scramasax reverted back to his albino hedgehog form.

Ranoc pounded his fist into the console in anger. "IMPOSSIBLE! HIS BODY IS REJECTING IT! SCRAMASAX, RETURN TO THE SHIP! NEWBLOOD! RESTRAIN SONIC! AND TAKE HIM ABOARD!"

Scramasax sneered and jumped back to the ship, as ordered.

"At once sire." The wolf wrapped the chain around the helpless Sonic's throat once again. He was dragged along as the half-metallic animal leapt high and into the control room of the ship.

Ranoc waved a hand and straightened his red cape. "Let's head back to the stratosphere. I didn't expect him to resist. We'll have to sedate him."

The Wyvern, as well as the 100 other battleships began to ascend up into the sky. Light had returned to the city. The sun had come back. It seemed that Station Square was safe, for now. Today would forever be a dark day in its history. 

Tails regained his bearings and held his head, wincing in pain. "S…Sonic…n..no…where…are they…taking….you….I…gotta…save…you…."

The fox clumsily got back up and flew through the streets. Eventually he reached his workshop in the Mystic Ruins. The fox brought a bag of something with him as he hopped in the plane. He started up the Tornado 2.

"Long time, no see old friend." he muttered. The engine revved up, the hangar doors opened, the plane sped down the runway and into the orange sky.

"I gotta get inside the main ship…before the altitude gets too high. I'm coming Sonic…hold tight…"

_Stage 13: Sky Chase_ (Player: **Tails**)   
Mission: Get to the Wyvern.  
Pilot the Tornado 2 and catch up to the Armada mothership, The Wyvern. You'll have to avoid laser fire as well as navigating carefully to avoid collision. Use the analog stick to control the direction of the Tornado 2. Push the R button to gain a quick speed boost. You'll need it to pass certain sections unscathed. Destroy the laser cannons or any enemy aircraft that get in your way. Rapidly push the A button to use the machine guns. Hold the A button to lock onto targets (up to 8) and release to unleash homing missiles. Hold the Y button to charge up your own cannon. It'll take about 5 seconds. When it's fully charged, Tails will say 'Ready!'. Release the Y button to unleash a devastating beam. The Tornado 2's life bar is in the lower-right corner of the screen. If your plane takes too many hits, you'll crash and burn. Pass the level by landing inside the hangar of the Wyvern.

The fox landed the Tornado 2 into the hangar of the huge mothership. Taking the bag with him, he leapt out and surveyed the gloomy, mechanical territory. Tails was in the enemy's yard now. He'll have to proceed with caution from here on in.

"You've gotta be around here somewhere Sonic…I'll find you…"

Tails walked through the sliding electronic door, and was in a narrow hallway.

In the control room, Newblood was looking out the window. Ranoc sat in that same position, ever twirling that sword of his. Scramasax looked down at Sonic, who had his hands and feet binded by electromagnetic chains. He still wasn't all there. The albino hedgehog's eyes never moved away.

"What do we do with the blue runt now Ranoc? Send him to the lab?" the wolf asked. 

"Yes. I'll have the scientist put his vital signs down to a bare minimum, to keep his chance of resistance next to none. This will ensure that the Crisis Project will take place."

Tails peeked around the corner with bag in hand. The coast was clear so far. "I'm coming…hold on…"

_Stage 14: The Wyvern_ (Player: **Tails**)   
Mission: Get to the Control Room.  
Tails will navigate through the maze of corridors, keeping an eye out for potentially dangerous hazards. Automated security has been put into place. Red laser beams will stroll along the hallways, in vertical and horizontal fashion. Suspicious looking wall sections are actually spike traps that will crush you. Step close to lure it out and run past when it's winding back in. Every minute or so the floor will start to flash, this means it will become electrified for several seconds. Fly up and stay airborne until the floor turns back to normal. In the final part of the stage, there will be a cut-scene of Tails noticing an air duct in the ceiling. Climb up into it and crawl through the small maze of cramped tunnels. Drop down the hatch at the end of the maze to make an unexpected entrance into the Control Room where Ranoc, Newblood, and Scramasax dwell.

The two-tailed fox had a determined look on his face. "Stop right there!"

Ranoc turned around in his chair, while the other two had pleasantly surprised looks on their faces. Sonic looked at his friend, with a smile on his face. He was still in a daze.

"Well what do we have here?" the leader said. "It's the little fox from before. Quite a persistent little runt, aren't you? You must've been very brave to come all by your lonesome."

The wolf laughed out loud. "Haha! Brave? More like stupid!"

"You guys are gonna be reeeeeeal sorry!" Tails exclaimed.

Scramasax stepped forward, his red eyes now focused on the young kitsune. "Sorry for what? What can YOU possibly do to US?"

"THIS!" Tails yelled as he pulled out the bag again. He dug both of his hands into it, and revealed seven chaos emeralds. The fox held the jewels up above him, and concentrated. "Chaos Emeralds! Grant me your POWER!"

"What…is this?" Ranoc asked. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"RRRRRAAAAGH!" the fox screamed as the emeralds bathed him in a bright golden aura.

The trio simply watched as the blinding light engulfed the entire room. They could feel the great force that eminated from him. It eventually faded, and standing before them was a golden fox, hovering and glowing with immense power. His tails and ears became longer, his chest fur stood up in spikes.

Newblood and Scramasax looked on with interest. Ranoc still sat in his chair, not intimidated at all.

"YOU WANT SOME? COME GET SOME!" Tails challenged.

The golden kitsune burst forth in a spectacular blaze of energy toward the three.

**_End Sonic's scenario._**


	7. The Legend of Kit Ri

_Begin Sally's scenario._

**Chapter 7 - The Legend of Kit Ri**

St. Francis Academy was a prestigious private school on the outskirts of Acorn's kingdom. Antoine D'Coolette, one of its top students, sat in the second row of history class. It was the last class of the day as the French coyote listened attentively to Ms. Watson. She was about to finish reading a book to the students.

"…and so the Crians declared victory over the Dyvios, effectively ending the Dark Heaven War. The Dyvios had no choice but to forfeit their territory to the enemy."

A weasel threw a paper ball and it smacked the back of Antoine's head, making him turn around.

"Stop zat!" he yelled.

"Antoine…" the teacher sternly said. "No need for the unnecessary outburst."

"Sigh…I apologize teach'air."

A spitball stuck right to his forehead, illciting a chuckle from some of the students. Antoine grumbled as he wiped it off.

The lizard sitting behind him quietly stuck a piece of chewed gum in his hair, drawing out more snickering from the classmates.

"(We're gonna kick your ass after school Frenchie Boy.)" the lizard whispered in his ear.

"…sigh…" 

Ms. Watson closed the book, and faced her peers. "Okay students. Your homework for tonight is to read and study Chapter 3 of your History textbook. There will be a quiz on it tomorrow." 

"Groooooan..."

The bell rang, and the student body hightailed it out of the building. Antoine however wasn't excited. He kept a casual walk down the hall, not looking forward to stepping outside.

"…sigh…" 

There was the lizard, weasel, rabbit, and a badger waiting out in the school yard. They grinned and cracked their knuckles upon seeing the coyote approach them.

"Oy…must we go through with theez…why must you guys always pick on moi?"

The lizard tripped him with his tail, and he fell on his face. "Shut it Frenchie."

The rabbit kicked Antoine in the stomach, making him yelp in pain. The coyote was holding himself, trying to ease it out.

"P…please…s…stop…"

"Stop whining you bitch." The weasel bent down and punched him in the face. He held his nose as blood began trickle from it. Tears began to form in his eyes.

The badger stood over him, laughing out loud. "Look at the sissy Frenchie, crying like a little baby. Get up and be a man."

Antoine sniffled, his knees weak, as he got back to his feet again. His hands, nose, and mouth were covered in his own life force.

"Good boy. You've grown up. Now get back down." the badger said. He elbowed the poor coyote right in the face, sending him to the concrete again.

The four proceeded to jump him.

In the small forest hideout known as Knothole, Bunnie was in her garden watering the carrots, but with little results. She couldn't figure it out. "Shucks…I just can't get these things to grow…what in the hoo-hah is going on here?"

Sally walked up to her, looking down at the vegetables as well. "Still no luck?"

"Nothin' Sally girl. If anything, I'd say the water is doing more harm than good." 

"What makes you say that?"

"Look at the carrots real closely."

She bent over and noticed something quite strange. They were looking less than stellar. There were some tiny gray spots here and there; the green sprout was thin and withered. 

"Yuck…" she said.

"See what I mean? I think there's something in the water…something very bad. It wasn't like this yesterday…"

Sally got back up. "There's only one way to find out. Let's take this watering can to Rotor. He can analyze it and see if there's anything unusual."

"Splendid idea Sally girl."

Sally and Bunnie, with watering can in hand, walked over and entered Rotor's workshop. The walrus had a pair of goggles on as he worked on yet another invention. Sparks and buzzing flew as he used a miniature drill on some type of metallic cube. He eventually stopped to take a look at it.

"Hmm…maybe if I used a quarter-inch smaller drill bit, the indentations won't hinder its function…"

"Hey Rotor." Sally greeted. 

"What's up Sally…and Bunnie. What brings you two here?" 

Bunnie held the watering can up to him. "We were wondering if you could examine the water in this can here. I think my carrots are getting ruined because of it."

"Hmm…possibly contaminated water huh? Sure thing. Let me get the equipment out." he told them as he went over to the storage closet.

"Oh no…not the closet…" Sally groaned.

"No worries. I've cleaned it out." Rotor opened the door, and an avalanche of random junk and tools fell over on top of him. "(Or was it the other closet?)"

"Oh mah stars! Are you okay Rotor?" Bunnie asked. The two ladies ran over to the messy pile.

The walrus popped out from the mess with microscope in hand. "I'm fine you two. No worries. Here's the microscope. Give me the watering can." 

"Sure."

Rotor took a sample of the water and placed it under the examining tool. Sally and Bunnie peeked over his shoulders, curious as well. It was quiet as he adjusted the lens. "Hmm…wow…this…is…strange…." he said to himself.

"What is it?" the chipmunk/squirrel asked.

"An unusual strain of microbes. I've never seen anything quite like it. It's not organic…it's…manmade…it has to be. The structure is too perfect."

Bunnie was confused. "Manmade? You mean someone made that water?"

"No no silly rabbit…the water is natural. The usual cluster of 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen atoms are still there. But…this strain of newcomers…I can't even recognize. It's not on any periodic table that I know of."

Rotor stood back up and looked at the two. "You didn't drink any of this water did you?"

"No…" the two replied, shaking their heads.

"Good. Let's go out to the stream where you got this water from."

The three went out to the little creek, not too far from the carrot garden. The water flowed with a gentle sound, and the birds chirped in the trees. The sun rays broke through the leaves, warming bits of grass below.

"Huh…the water looks normal. If you follow along this river to the source, maybe you'll find out why the water's the way it is. It's not guaranteed, but it's a start."

Sally took out a small palm pilot-like device from her vest pocket. "Nicole, display a map of the area going north along this river."

"ACCESSING, SALLY…SCANNING FOR TERRAIN FEEDBACK…30 percent…60 percent…100 percent…SCANNING COMPLETED. DOWNLOADING TERRAIN INFORMATION…30 percent…70 percent…100 percent…DOWNLOADING COMPLETED." 

Nicole beeped, and a map displaying the area appeared on the 3.6 inch monitor.

"Thanks Nicole."

"NO PROBLEM SALLY."

Sally looked at the forest stretching into the distance. "Alright…Bunnie and I will go along the river. Rotor, you'll need to stay and watch the hideout, okay?"

Rotor shrugged his shoulders, not caring. "I'm cool with that. I'm more of a stay-home type anyway."

Just then, Antoine lumbered onto the scene. The poor coyote was a sad sight to see. His fur was mangled and stained with botches of blood, he had a black eye, the tip of his left ear was cut off, his body ached with bruises, and his clothing was tattered. He was beaten mercilessly. Shaking, he approached his three friends. He couldn't even walk straight.

"ANTOINE!" Sally shouted.

"Oh man…" Rotor muttered.

Bunnie was distraught as well. "SUGAH TWAN! WH…WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?"

"I…I fell."

"Fell, my butt!" the rabbit shouted. "Come on now…let's bring ya inside."

Soon enough the French coyote was in the infirmary, resting peacefully in bed. He was cleaned up and bandaged in the right places. They were saddened as they watched over him for about an hour.

Rotor crossed his arms, staring at him. "Antoine got beaten pretty bad, but it's nothing life-threatening. The serum I gave him should speed up the healing process somewhat."

Sally sighed. Bunnie showed concern, leaning close and petting him on the head. "Poor Twan. Who would do this to you…"

"Rotor…will you watch over him while we go? We're leaving now." she said.

"Okay Sally. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

"Ready Bunnie?" 

"…"

"Bunnie?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." she replied, then gently kissed Antoine on the forehead. "Get well soon, okay?"

Rotor sat down in a nearby chair while the two ladies left the hut and went to the creek.

_Stage 15: Knothole Forest_ (Player: **Sally**)   
Mission: Get to the source of the river.  
Stealth is the name of the game here. Follow the river up north through the maze-like forest. If you get lost, listen to the sound of the current and follow it until you find the river again. The forest isn't threat-free though. Wildlife such as wolves and bears will prowl about, but you have some help. A map will be displayed courtesy of Nicole. This map not only shows the terrain, but the enemies' position and range of sight. Keep out of their sight and you'll be safe. Push X to duck. Push A to use stones and other objects you find and throw them to create a distraction. If you're discovered, they'll chase after you. The word 'Warning!' will appear under your ring count. You're fast, but they're faster. Quickly find a place to hide, whether it'd be a tree hole, brush, rocks, and caves, among other places. When you find a hiding place, the Y button will flash above it. Push it to hide. They'll give up and stop the chase if you remain unseen long enough. Be warned though. If the enemy was too close when you hid, you'll be discovered and get attacked. Bunnie can offer assistance too. Push up on the C stick to have the bunny lengthen her robotic legs and hoist you up high into the air. Get a good view of the area with this. Use the analog stick to look around, and push B to cancel. This consumes 10 percent of the Burst Meter. Push down on the C stick to have Bunnie perform a powerful sidekick or straight punch. This will stun an enemy for several seconds, very useful if the pursuer is right on your ass. This consumes 20 percent of the Burst Meter. Rings will be few and far between, so being stealthy is very important. Pass the stage by getting to the source.

Sally and Bunnie reached the edge of the forest, both relieved that the hard part was over.

"Whew…that was close. Are you okay Bunnie?"

"I'm just peachy Sally girl. Whoa…well will you lookit that…"

The two turned toward the sparkling lake before them. The source responsible for the tainted water was obviously apparent. A huge battle airship has crash-landed into the lake. The aft of the gigantic vessel stuck up several feet above the water.

"Hmm…well this is something you don't see everyday." Sally commented. She took the ever-useful device out of her pocket once again and pushed a button. "Nicole. Give me a scan on that ship right there."

"ACCESSING SALLY…SCANNING SHIP…30 percent…50 percent…90 percent…100 percent…SCANNING COMPLETED."

"Thanks Nicole. Is there anything in the ship that's causing the water contamination?" 

"FUEL IS LEAKING OUT OF THE TANKS, SALLY. IT IS MOST LIKELY THE CAUSE OF WATER CONTAMINATION."

"I see. Is there anyone on board?"

"NO LIFEFORCE DETECTED ON BOARD." 

"Is there anything else worth mentioning?"

"THE FRONT WINDOW PANEL HAS A LARGE HOLE IN IT, APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET IN DIAMETER."

"Hmm…the plot thickens…thanks Nicole." 

"NO PROBLEM SALLY."

Bunnie started to trek around the east side of the lake. "Let's look around Sally girl…there's bound ta be something of interest here somewhere. Perhaps we can find out what this ship is all about and why it's here."

"Good idea. Let's search." she replied. She followed her around the lake, looking for more clues.

Kit Ri. He was the legendary swordsman known throughout the land. He had no equal. He was undefeated, unmatched. Legends, folktales, and tall tales of his feats were often told. Antoine had heard these stories from his father, and he always encouraged him to be a great swordsman. Despite his father's wishes, he never wielded a sword in his life. He thought he wouldn't need it. Believe it or not Ant knew a fair bit of karate, but it wasn't enough to protect himself…especially if he was outnumbered. The coyote would never dream of even holding a blade…until today.

An hour later…

"Oy…" he mumbled, now awake. Antoine winced as he sat up from his bed, still bandaged around his forehead and abdomen. He was still banged up, but the pain was mostly gone. Rotor was fast asleep in his chair. The walrus was soundly sawing logs. Ant didn't want to wake Rotor. This was something he was going to do on his own. He stood up slowly, and straightened his uniform out.

He wrote something on a piece of paper and left it on the bed. _"Dear Bunnie, Sally, and Rotor: I'll be gone for a few days. Don't bother trying to find me, for I am trying to find myself. Antoine"_

He walked out of the little hut. He was tired of being pushed around, tired of being the butt of jokes, tired of being disrespected. Antoine D'Coolette decided that if he wants respect, he has to go out and take it. 

"I'm going up to zee summit of Blue Mountain, and ask Kit Ri if he could train moi in zee art of swordplay."

He ripped the bandages off of him, and regained composure. The coyote walked west through the plains, and to the base of the snow-caped mountain itself.

_Stage 16: Blue Mountain_ (Player: **Antoine**)  
Mission: Get to the summit.  
Armed with a simple yet surprisingly effective karate chop, brave the natural elements as you traverse the mountain trail. Try to steer clear of the edges; they will crumble if you step on them for too long. There will be times where the trail suddenly ends, leaving no choice but to hang by the ledge and shimmy over chasms. Boulders will fall periodically, so time your movements. There will also be situations where you have to scale sheer icy walls. Use the analog stick to climb in any direction. Pebbles will appear where the rocks will fall, so avoid them or take damage. Strong winds will sometimes blow as you climb. Hold the A button to brace yourself when you see a breeze start to pick up. You'll be the first flying coyote if you don't. In the latter part of the level, push the B button to use his karate chop on suspicious looking cracks in the mountainside. They'll reveal caverns. Some are dead ends; some will lead you toward the top. Icicles and slippery floors will greet you upon entering. Complete the level by reaching the summit, where the legendary Kit Ri resides.

A gentle flurry of snow flew about the mountaintop. Antoine approached a small hut on the other side of a plateau. In front of that hut was an old Siamese cat, wearing a red kimono and sandals. His white hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he had a long flowing beard. The feline sat absolutely still in meditation, quiet as a mouse. The coyote walked and stood before him.

"Uh…uh…hello…um…you're Kit Ri…non?"

"…"

The cat slowly opened his eyes and stared a hole into him. He didn't look too happy, but still remained silent.

"Excuse moi…umm…you're…Kit Ri…n…non?"

He spoke, still not moving from his position. "It depends on who's asking. Filthy dog."

"I'm not zee dog, I am zee coyo…" 

"SILENCE!"

"…"

"Now…I assume you've come all the way here to learn swordplay from me. Am I correct?"

"Y…yes."

"What is your name, dog?"

"A…Antoine D'Coolette."

"Tch…look at you. You're pathetic. A battered and beaten canine asking for a feline's help. There are two things I absolutely hate. The French, and dogs. You being here is enough to make me sick."

"I am zee coyote!"

"SILENCE MONGREL!"

"…" 

"What makes you think you're worthy of being under my wing? Hmm?"

"…"

"Just as I thought. Are you completely defenseless?"

"…No…"

"…Is that so?"

"…Yes…"

"Perhaps you are not entirely a lost cause. What fighting styles do you possess?"

"I have some knowledge in zee Eagle Claw fighting style."

"Eagle Claw hmm? An animal style of northern kung fu that is known for its devastating grips, pressure point attacks, and chin na techniques. You interest me, filthy dog. I'll tell you what. If you can manage to lay one finger on me, I'll teach you in my ways. Do you accept?"

Antoine nodded, and smiled on the inside. "Oui."

Kit Ri stood up from his meditating spot, put his left hand behind his back, and signaled Antoine to come on with the right. "Good. Then come at me!"

The Frenchie put his hands out in a clawing position. He put his right foot forward. Antoine rushed forth and attacked with a quick left and right swipe, but Kit leaned back and dodged them easily. The cat quickly grabbed his right arm, twisted it tight, and wrapped it around to the coyote's back. Antoine yelped in pain at the immense amount of pressure applied to the hold.

"AHHHHH! OWWWW! OWWWW!"

"Do you think you can beat me NOW? HUH?" he shouted, twisting Ant's arm even tighter. The mind-numbing pain was enough to make him go down on one knee.

"OWWWWWWWWWWWW! AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Look at you! You sad pathetic excuse for a fleabag!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Do you SUBMIT?"

"OUIIIIIII! OUIIIIIII! OUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Kit screamed as he menacingly raised an open palm high in the air. "WHAT? I'LL CHOP YOUR DAMN ARM OFF!"

"OUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"IN ENGLISH! YOU SOUND LIKE A SQUEALING PIG!"

"YEEEEESSSSS!" 

"WHAT?"

"YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

Kit released his grip on Ant, and the coyote fell to the ground. He couldn't move his right arm and was panting heavily. The cat continued to look down at him. He couldn't help but smirk. 

"Training will start tomorrow. I suggest you get plenty of rest."

"W..wha? You're gonna…train…moi anyway?" 

"You've already proven yourself."

"…?" 

"Very few people can make it to the summit of Blue Mountain alive. You being here proves you've got great potential."

"…" 

Kit walked toward the hut with hands behind his back. "You'll get the feeling back in your arm soon enough. Come inside for the night when you're ready."

"…"

About 15 minutes later Ant stumbled to his feet once more, and headed inside Kit's hut.

The next day…

Kit and Ant stood in the middle of the powdered plateau, the snow still maintaining its presence. The coyote wasn't wearing his usual soldier uniform. He had on a white training kimono, and wood sandals.

"Here." he said, tossing him a sword. "This is your student blade, dog. When you have passed your training with flying colors, you will earn your real blade. Only then, will you earn the right to be called a true coyote. Heed my words and listen to me closely. I am your Master, and you are my Student. I will not tolerate any foolishness. When I tell you to do something, you will do it. Do not attempt to challenge my authority. I could very well throw you off this damn mountain if I choose to. Understand?"

Antoine held the sword up and looked at it, a dulled reflection of himself. "Oui oui Mast'air. I am ready and weeling Monsieur Kit."

"Good, you French bastard. Then let's start our first day of training." he said, stroking his beard.

_Training Session: Day 1_ (Player: **Antoine**)  
Objective: Perform Kit's commands correctly.  
Kit will put a wooden log out in front of you. Perform the technique he tells you to do to bust the log. For non-offensive moves, he'll simply nod in approval. Do it correctly and you'll go on to the next one. Don't worry if you make a mistake, he'll smack you in the head but you can try again. Pass the session by completing the following move set.

"Push the B button to perform a quick horizontal slash. You can do this up to 4 times in a row for a combo."

"Push the A button for a slower but more powerful vertical slash. You can do this up to 3 times in a row for a combo."

"Push down and the B button simultaneously for a push kick. It's weak, but it'll send the enemy some distance away for breathing room."

"Push down and the A button simultaneously for an Up-cut slash. This will send the enemy into the air. A great setup for an air combo."

"Hold L to block. This will render enemy attacks harmless. You can also block enemy fire as well. Be aware that not all attacks can be blocked."

"Hold Z to focus your attention on the closest enemy. As long as you have that button held, you will always face the opponent."

"Still holding the Z button, double-tap in any direction for a quick dash."

"Hold either the A or B button down until your sword starts to glow. It'll take about 4 seconds. Attacks will be powerful until the glow fades away."

Kit grinned and nodded. "Very good Antoine. You show discipline. Remember that you can mix up your horizontal, vertical, and upcut slashes, as well as your push kicks for some combinations." 

Antoine bowed down. "Sank you Master."

"Now that today's sword session is over, remove your clothing and stand outside in the cold for 20 minutes."

"Wh…what!" 

"It's part of the training. This will increase your endurance, not to mention toughen your body. Don't complain, dog. I'm your Master remember?"

"Alright…"

"When you're finished, come inside. We will learn advanced techniques tomorrow, so get your rest." the Siamese told him. The cat took his kimono and sandals away and went inside.

A while later the coyote was shivering in the freezing cold. His teeth chattered, and icicles hung from his snout. Ant was freezing his ass off as Kit sat by the fireplace, sipping on hot cocoa.

The next day…

Ant once again was in his white training kimono with wooden sandals. His practice sword was in hand.

"Alright, mutt. Today we're going to learn advanced moves, so listen carefully to my directions. These will be more difficult, but you'll become a natural with practice."

"Oui Mast'air."

"Let's begin." the Siamese cat said, stroking his beard again.

_Training Session: Day 2_ (Player: **Antoine**)   
Objective: Perform Kit's commands correctly.  
Same as before. Kit will put a log out in front of you. Perform the technique he tells you to do to bust the log. For non-offensive moves, he'll simply nod in approval. Do it correctly and you'll go on to the next one. Don't worry if you make a mistake, just try again. Pass the session by completing the move set.

"Push the A & B button simultaneously to kneel down into a charging position. You won't be able to move in this stance. Once you're in the stance, hold the Y button until your sword is surrounded in a red aura. It'll take about 5 seconds. Release the button to perform a lethal impale. This will instantly kill any enemy, except for bosses of course." 

"Now mongrel, I will toss a rock in your direction. Pretend this is your opponent. Push L to block JUST BEFORE it hits you to perform a counter-block. A ring of light will flash and your enemy will be thrown off for a few seconds. You can take this opportunity to do some real damage."

"Excellent. Now push the A or B button during that brief ring of light for a swift critical counter. This will instantly kill any enemy, except for the major ones of course. You'll get a 10-ring bonus for a reward as well. Don't forget this technique, Antoine. Sometimes this is the only way to defeat certain enemies. A good defense makes for a good offense." 

Kit tossed Antoine another sword. He looked down in interest at the two blades in his hands.

"Great. Let's pretend you're in Burst Mode. Now that you have 2 swords, attacks will come faster and more powerful. New techniques will become available. Push down on the C stick for the Steel Tornado technique. This cuts down any enemies within close range in a spinning fury, a great move if you're surrounded."

"Very good, leg humper. Push up on the C stick for the Hummingbird Thrust, a multiple strike technique. One enemy will get the ultimate skewering of its life. It's the most damaging move in your arsenal."

Kit and Ant bowed to each other. "Excellent, posterior inhaler. The final part of your training is tomorrow. By passing this, you will have matured into a full-fledged samurai." 

"What does moi have to do?"

"You will have to fight me."

"!"

"That's right…a swordfight…blade against blade…you and me. Now…give me your clothing. It's time for your 20 minute endurance session. Come inside when you're finished. I highly recommend you get plenty of rest and nourishment for tomorrow. You will need it."

"Sacre Bleu…" he sighed.

Soon enough, he was out in the miserable cold. Kit was in the hut. The bearded cat sat back in his recliner by the fireplace, resting with a cup of hot herbal tea.

The next day…

Kit and Antoine stood face to face, their training swords held tightly in their paws. It was the white-kimono student coyote versus his master, the red-kimono cat. The raging snowfall had slowed to a gentle flurry, as if anticipating this event.

"This is the day…the day where you can surpass your teacher. You have been an excellent student Antoine. You seemed quite adapt with the sword, just like my last student… We will see if all that hard work has paid off. Now, the first one to have his sword make contact with his opponent is the winner. If you win, you graduate and earn your stripes. If I win, more training. Are you ready, dog?"

"I am ready Mast'air. I won't hold back, so come at moi with everything you have." he said, getting into a defensive stance.

Kit smiled, and raised his sword as well. "Don't worry, I won't. Let's go." 

_Training Session: Final Day, Boss: Kit Ri_ (Player: **Antoine**)  
Your Master will alternate between defending himself, dodging, and attacking with 3 or 4 hit combinations. Attack him all you like, he'll block every single time. He'll kick you back if you get too persistent. If you get hit, you restart the battle. You won't lose any lives though, this battle's a freebie. The only way to win is to wait until he is about to strike you, then block and get him with a critical counter. 

Both fighters were panting from the intense battle. Antoine held the blade steady, its tip right at Kit's throat. The old Siamese was proud of him.

"I have nothing more to teach you. Congratulations…coyote."

The Frenchie was feeling great, but didn't want to show it.

"Stay here Antoine. I'll be right back."

Kit went into his hut and soon came back with a small crate. He opened it and there was a simply beautiful green samurai robe and pure white sandals.

"These are for you. Put these on Antoine…oh, before you do…take off that ill-fitting hairpiece…it doesn't suit you."

"Mast'air…" he said. He took off his toupee and dropped it to the snow. A strong wind blew it off the mountain.

The coyote changed into his new duds. Antoine was a real samurai now; his flowing sleeves had orange and red stripes around the wrists. A tan belt wrapped around his waist. There was a solid oak sheath clipped to it, on his left side. His green robe flapped in the breeze. His pure white sandals fit him perfectly. Ant wore it all well. He seemed taller, and grown up a bit.

"And now…for your sword."

Ant held his hands out as Kit handed him a 3-foot long sword. Its hilt was yellow with black stripes, with an image of a coyote's head etched in the center of it. The blade was a shimmering crystal. He looked down at it, his reflection was as clear as day. It was lightweight and easy to wield, yet the edge was extremely sharp. Antoine noticed some kind of writing etched on the blade itself, close to the hilt. 

"What eez this writing Mast'air Kit?"

"Ah…those would be ancient runes Antoine. Every sword that is created is given a name, and that name associates with its owner. I believe this weapon suits you perfectly. The English translation of this one is "White Coyote."

"Hmm…White Coyote…I like zee sound of that."

He slid the White Coyote blade in its sheath in a smooth motion. The hilt clicked in place.

"Now that you're a full-fledged swordsman, there is one thing you need to remember. Whatever reason you came here is not my business…whether it would be revenge, redemption, or maybe just because you like swords…it's not my concern. It is too easy to lose your way when you hold a weapon designed to kill. My…last student…"

"What? What about your last student?"

"…Never mind. Forget it."

"Okay."

"I won't weigh you down with such banter. When in battle, let your heart guide your decisions Antoine, and the sword will carry out that decision. Good luck to you."

Ant turned around, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Now go. Samurai Coyote." 

**_Next Chapter: The Pursuit of Power_**


	8. The Pursuit of Power

**Chapter 8 – The Pursuit of Power**

4 days, 2 hours, and 17 minutes ago…in the Wyvern Control Room…

_"RRRRAAAAGH!" _

The bright gold fox, Super Tails, burst forth toward Ranoc with a clenched fist. The swordsman immediately stood up and unsheathed the Black Jackal. He easily blocked the kitsune's oncoming attack. It was a stalemate as the two opposing forces were locked, fist and blade.

"You're wasting your time young fox. I'll admit you have some incredible power, but it's not going to be enough."

Scramasax picked up the seven emeralds and examined them closely with a smile on his face. "Hmm…Chaos Emeralds eh? I wonder…"

"Oh no you don't!" Tails shouted as he quickly dashed toward the white hedgehog, and knocked the jewels out of his hand…which crashed out through the window. It was not his intention.

"Shoot! This isn't good!" 

"It's your ass now, foxboy!"

Newblood rushed at Tails, but the kitsune beat him to the punch with a blazing shoulder tackle. The wolf was sent flying back into the control panel, causing extensive damage to it. He was dazed from the blow. Sparks of electricity began to shoot through the console. The ship itself slowed down and began a gradual descent.

"Uh oh…" Tails muttered. "(I'll have to grab Sonic and get the heck outta here!)"

He did just that. He grabbed the tied-up Sonic and went buzzing out of the 'sinking' ship. The coast was clear for Tails, but not for the Big Three. The Wyvern was descending faster and faster.

An agitated Ranoc shouted to the monitor. "AUTOPILOT ENGAGE!"

"UNABLE-TO-ACTIVATE-AUTOPILOT." 

The swordsman hissed and turned his head toward Scramasax. "Shall I?"

"Not necessary, Master. I'll do it." 

_The albino hedgehog put his right hand forward and closed his eyes. He muttered some sort of chant to himself and again he transformed into a glowing ball of energy. Scramasax then dove straight into the console…_

Sally and Bunnie wandered through the forest, still looking for any clues pertaining to the crash-landed ship in the lake. It wasn't long before they reach the edge of the green sea of trees, and they saw Ironlock Prison in the distance. The two ladies weren't the only ones looking at it though.

"Ironlock Prison…" Sally said, looking through her binoculars. "Abandoned after all these years…wait…who in the world are THEY?"

A certain caped person, a wolf, and a hedgehog stood at the entrance of the old building. Behind them were a small army of robot soldiers, a hundred at least.

"Lemme see that Sally girl." Bunnie said, taking the binoculars. "…Oh mah stars…are those…SWATbots? But…Robotnik's done kicked the bucket…his empire was destroyed…how could this be…" The rabbit pushed a button and zoomed in. "Hmm. Three strange fellas are standing there as well. They're talkin' about something… Just what is goin' on here?" 

"SWATbots? That's weird. Maybe those strangers somehow have a connection with Robotnik? Like they were old friends with him or something?"

"I dunno Sally girl…"

Sally took out the invaluable device from her vest pocket and turned it on. "Nicole. Activate Ionic Microphone."

Nicole blipped twice, and from the top came an antenna that lengthened to about four inches. Sally and Bunnie bent down and moved their heads closer to the portable machine.

"Thanks Nicole. Now let's listen in…"

_"…ors indicate a Chaos Emerald is somewhere in this building."_

"Tch…that little orange bastard actually gave me a bruise. Damn, that hurt…"

"That's what you deserve. It's not wise to underestimate, Newblood. You let your guard down for a second and you pay for it. Moron. If 'that little orange bastard' had the power to put you down, then these emeralds are definitely something worth searching for. "

"O…of course. It won't happen again…sire."

"We'll see. I must have those seven emeralds that the little furball had, at all costs. Imagine the potential of the Chaos Emeralds combined with…my god…It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it…"

"A modification of the Crisis Project, sir?"

"Indeed. It will be a most GLORIOUS day."

"Hahahahah! I'm getting more anxious by the second. Let's go in there right now and get it!"

Ranoc, Newblood, and Scramasax entered the old prison, along with the SWATbots as the two females continued to watch from a safe distance. With a simple click, Nicole was turned off. Sally and Bunnie then looked at each other, both looking confused. 

"Crisis Project? That sounds really bad, Bunnie."

"I hear ya."

"What do you think it means?"

"Jus' as clueless as you are. I've heard 'bout these Chaos Emeralds. They're supposed tuh provide immense power. If they git all 7 of these things…who knows what might happen."

"Whoever they are, we have to go inside the prison and get this emerald before they do. If SWATbots are on their side, they have to be up to no good."

"Agreed. Let's get movin'!"

The two got up and left the forest, and quickly went inside the aging structure. Unknowing to them, another person was watching from an overlooking cliff.

_Stage 17: Ironlock Prison_ (Player: **Sally**)  
Mission: Get to the Chaos Emerald.  
Once again Bunnie will accompany you. Make your way through the dark, gritty prison. SWATbots will patrol the area, so keep quiet and stay in the shadows. You can use empty cans and other debris lying around to create distractions. Nicole's radar is your best friend; use it to see their position and range of sight. If you're discovered, they'll give chase as well as fire their lasers. Quickly find a hiding place such as under a bed, in a locker, behind a shelf, among other locations. These SWATbots are persistent. Even after you successfully hid from them and they've stopped giving chase, they'll go back to patrol…but with heightened security. Their numbers and range of vision will increase. A 'Caution!' warning will appear under your ring count. Stay alert. This is only temporary though, and will go back to normal after 30 seconds. As you delve deeper in the prison, a yellow dot will appear on the radar. This indicates the location of the emerald. It's in the Gas Chamber room. Reach it to complete the stage. 

Sally and Bunnie passed through the door and entered the room. A worn green sign above the door read "Gas Chamber". There it was. The glowing yellow emerald sat in the middle of the dirty floor. A single ray of light from a hole in the ceiling shined down upon it. The chipmunk/squirrel bent down and held the jewel in her hands.

"Wow…it's warm to the touch. I think I can actually feel its power…Nicole, give me a reading on the emerald." 

"PROCESSING, SALLY…25 percent…50 percent…80 percent…100 percent…PROCESSING COMPLETED. THIS YELLOW JEWEL IS ONE OF SEVEN. THESE ARE WIDELY KNOWN AS 'CHAOS EMERALDS'. THESE EMERALDS CONTAIN AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF ENERGY. WHEN ALL SEVEN ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, IT CAN BESTOW THE HOLDER WITH POWER BEYOND COMPREHENSION."

"Where is the next closest Chaos Emerald located?"

"SCANNING FOR CHAOS EMERALD ENERGY READING…40 percent…70 percent…100 percent…SCANNING COMPLETED. THE GREEN EMERALD IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT THE WOLFPACK BASE, DEEP WITHIN LUPINE HOLLOW."

"Thanks Nicole. Alright Bunnie, let's go get outta here before we get spotted."

"Ah…but you're too late, young ladies."

A suddenly alert Bunnie quickly turned toward the voice. "W..Who's there?"

It was them. None other than Ranoc, Newblood, and Scramasax stepped in and stood in front of the doorway. They were blocking the only way out.

Sally and Bunnie crept back slowly, not daring to look away with them. A twinge of fear struck into their hearts. Ranoc's face continued to be shrouded in secrecy, covered by that raccoon mask. 

Newblood donned a smirk, looking at Bunnie with intrigue. "Heyyy…you're half-robotized…just like me. Verrrry interesting…" 

"Hmmm…Looks like someone wants the Chaos Emeralds more than we do. Give us the jewel or else." the swordsman demanded. 

"Wh…who are you?" Sally asked.

"Young lady, it is not your concern."

"Yeah…we know yuh gonna use those emeralds for no good. We heard you talking about some sort of Crisis Project. Are ya planning on ruling the world?"

"Ruling the world……sigh……such a tired, tired cliché. You lack vision long-eared girl. You're not looking at the big picture. What I have planned will make 'ruling the world' look like yesterday's old news. Now…give me the jewel."

Sally held the emerald closer to herself, not easily giving it up. "…I don't think so. You'll have to get through both of us first."

Ranoc shook his head. "…I was seriously hoping it wouldn't come to this. Newblood, bring in our special guest."

A certain walrus wearing a backwards yellow baseball cap was pushed forward, with his hands tied behind his back.

"I'm sorry you guys…" he muttered.

"Rotor!"

The armored Ranoc wrapped an arm around the walrus' upper chest, and put the blade right up to his throat. Rotor was struggling, but it was no use.

"I grow tired of your games. Now…I'm going to make this very simple. Give me the jewel, or this sea mammal dies in a pool of his own blood."

"You dirty little…!" Bunnie grumbled.

Sally sighed. "…I guess we have no choice then…"

She threw the emerald, at which Ranoc swiftly caught. He released his grip on Rotor and pushed him further into the room. Bunnie immediately untied his hands.

"Such power…" he said, admiring its shine. "One down, six to go…"

"What we do with them now, boss?" Newblood asked. "Do we kill 'em?"

He crossed his arms and pondered at Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor. Everyone remained silent for three tense seconds. He simply just shrugged his shoulders.

"They're not worth my time. Let's hurry and get the other six emeralds. Newblood, Scramasax, Move out!"

Ranoc and Newblood turned around and started walking, but Scramasax had an evil grin. Something was on his unstable mind. The hedgehog started walking back, then stopped. He performed a quick back kick which flipped a big red switch on the adjacent wall. The metallic door slid down and shut, locking in Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor. Small pipes hissed as a faint green gas started leaking into the room. Scramasax guffawed out loud as he left from sight.

"Poisonous gas!" Rotor shouted, covering his mouth with his cap. 

"Oh mah stars…let me see if I can.." Bunnie ran toward the solid door and began punching and kicking with all her might, but it wouldn't budge. "Door's too strong…shucks…cough cough!"

Sally desperately searched the walls for some kind of way out, but found nothing. She fell down to her knees, feeling faint. "This is hopeless…cough! we're all gonna die down here…"

2 minutes later...

The samurai kept his distance as he watched the Three exit from the prison and onto another airship, The Falcon. It wasn't as big and as technologically advanced as the Wyvern, but it will suffice. The ship came to life. It soon hummed and gained attitude, then disappeared high into the air. He then leapt from a tree branch and landed onto the roof of the prison. In a quick motion, the White Coyote blade was unsheathed and ready to go. 

_Stage 18: Jailbreak Justice_ (Player: **Antoine**)   
Mission: Get to the Gas Chamber.  
Be stealthy? Screw that. Use the techniques that Kit taught you as you slice and dice through the SWATbots that stand in your way. Dash and leap across the prison rooftops with fury and grace. The bots will shoot lasers at long range (which can be blocked…or reflected with good timing), and use their fists at close range. Antoine will have a life bar which will decrease when he is hit. It will be just above the Burst Meter. Collecting rings will gradually recover the life bar. If your life becomes empty, you die…even if you have rings. Breakable objects such as steel drums and wooden crates are abound, so go nuts and collect the goodies that can be inside. You can also push kick those objects at the enemy for some damage. Complete the stage by infiltrating the prison and reaching the Gas Chamber.

Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor were growing weaker as the room became thick with the poisonous gas. Suddenly a loud clanging sound was heard from outside their room. The metal door slid up, and the pipes stopped releasing the gas. Quick footsteps echoed off into the distance. 

"Cough! Cough! The door…opened! Let's get…cough! outta here!" Sally yelled.

The three hastily ran out of the room and took the time to get a breather. Someone was looking out for them.

"Is…everyone…cough…okay?" Rotor asked. 

"Yea…I'm jus' peachy Rotor. Are you okay Sally girl?" 

"I'm okay. Cough! Whew…"

"Look...over...there." Rotor said, pointing to the wall. "Someone busted up the switchboard to get us out of here."

Sally was curious. "I wonder…who did it?"

"I dunno, but…we should be thankful someone cares for us that much."

"We don't have time to waste. We have to…get to this Wolfpack base that Nicole mentioned. Nicole, show the location."

"DEEP INSIDE LUPINE HOLLOW, A CAVE IN THE DROOD HENGE CANYON REGION. IT IS APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES SOUTHEAST FROM HERE."

"Thanks Nicole. Alright guys. Let's go. We need to get the next emerald before they do."

They ran down the hall, leaping and sidestepping the heaps of metal littered about. The SWATbots didn't seem to have a chance.

The walrus pointed all around as they made tracks. "Look at all the SWATbots you guys, somebody thrashed them all up."

"Whooooowee…someone wasn't playin' around, I'll tell ya that much. It was probably the same person who set us free from that gas chamber."

"Whoever it was, thank you. But let's not worry about that now. We have to keep going."

A few minutes later they were back outside, out of that dingy prison.

Rotor took a deep breath and savored the fresh air. "Ahh…that's much better. I parked my plane in a clearing right on that hill over there. I've built it from scratch. It's called 'The Freedom Stormer."

"Thank goodness Rotor. I was hopin' I didn't have ta walk."

The three climbed the hill and boarded the Freedom Stormer, a rather shoddy looking but dependable bi-plane that could seat up to six people. Rotor started the engine and it sputtered, then roared. The plane steadily ascended up into the orange sky.

"Next stop. Lupine Hollow!" he announced. The Freedom Stormer headed off toward their destination.

Several minutes later...

They've landed in the Drood Henge canyons, where the temperature was high and plant life was a rare sight. Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie stepped off the plane and stood in front of a large rock wall. There was a rather small entrance to a cave in front of them.

The half chipmunk-half squirrel took a look at the surroundings. "According to the radar, this must be Lupine Hollow. Once we get through this, we'll be at the Wolfpack base."

They entered the cave. As soon as they stepped in, a slab of rock came down and closed off their way out. It would have been pitch black, fortunately there were torches lining each side of the twisting stairway leading down below. 

_Stage 19: Lupine Hollow_ (Player: **Sally**)   
Mission: Reach the Wolfpack base.  
Rotor will join your team now. The caves are dark, and the torches will only let you see so far. You'll have to depend on Nicole's radar more than ever. Lupine Hollow is a maze full of dead ends, traps, and prowling wolf guards. Be careful not to fall down a hole. Nets will be set throughout the stage, stepping into one will temporarily slow you down. You don't want that to happen if you're being chased. Hiding places include hanging over the edge of a cliff, leaning up inside a depression in the wall, ducking into the shadows, and others. As usual you can find and throw objects for distractions. Your friendly neighborhood walrus can offer assistance. Push left on the C stick to have him throw a wrench, effectively stunning a target at long range. This consumes 20 percent of the Burst Meter. Push right on the C stick to have him throw a flash grenade. Any enemies on the screen will be rendered unconscious for several minutes. This consumes 40 percent of the Burst Meter. Like the SWATbots, these wolf guards will go the extra mile on patrol after a failed pursuit. A green dot on the radar signals the location of the emerald. Reach the door leading to it to complete the level.

The trio approached a large stone door, with what appeared to be hieroglyphics written all over it.

"The base must be on the other side of this door." Sally said, gently touching the writing with her hands. 

She knocked on the door, and floor below them opened up. Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor yelled as they went down a large slide. They slid deeper underground, not being to see anything. Darkness. A light soon shone ahead, and they flew out of the hole and into a room. Landing with thuds, they regained their bearings and looked around them. It had a warm coziness to it. In the middle of the room sat four wolves in tribal clothing on a large red decorated rug. A roaring fireplace sat in the back wall. The only female in the group was the leader of the pack. The other three weren't too pleased with their presence. They stood up, ready to fight.

"Intruders! Prepare yourselves!"

"You trespass on our territory!" 

"You're not welcome here!"

Sally, Bunnie, and Rotor looked like they were ready to brawl as well.

"Hold it you guys." the gray-furred woman said. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, and was spiky in the front. "…I think I know this girl. Princess Sally Alicia Acorn, I presume?"

"Y…yes, you presume right. May I ask what your name is?"

"I am Lupe. Leader of the Wolfpack Freedom Fighters. Who might you two be?" 

"I'm Rotor. A pleasure." he replied, gave a slight bow of respect.

The rabbit nodded and smiled. "And I'm Bunnie Rabbot…but you can just call me Bunnie. Nice to meet ya."

"An honor to meet you Lupe. I'm sorry to have come in unannounced, but I've heard that you might have one of the Chaos Emeralds." 

Bunnie and Rotor relaxed a little, as well as the other wolves. The hostility began to fade away.

"Indeed I do. One of us found it in the barren region of Drood Henge. Who told you?" 

"Nicole here did. This device has many, many uses." 

"That little machine could detect it? I put the emerald in a specially designed box made out of a rare alloy; one of the wolves designed the box so that whatever is inside it is undetectable to any kind of radar. I guess it couldn't fool this 'Nicole' though." 

Sally pondered. "(Hmm…maybe that's why those bad guys haven't found this place yet…I was almost sure they'd be here first.)"

"I couldn't take any chances. Why have you come for the emerald?"

"Three people are planning something, and I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty. One of them said that it's going to make 'ruling the world' yesterday's news. He's already collected one of the emeralds, and he's determined to get the other six in his grasp. I was hoping we could get at least one and prevent that from happening, but…" 

"Who are these three people?"

"I really don't know…but they look like they mean business. One's an albino hedgehog…another is a partially-robotized wolf, and the other is an armored swordsman with a raccoon mask and red cape. He seems to be the leader of the bunch."

"Wait a minute…did you say partially-robotized wolf?"

"…Yes…why?"

"What does he look like?"

"Uh…about 6'6''…7 feet maybe, he's gray, and his left eye is mechanical."

"Sigh…that's him…it HAS to be him…"

"Who's 'him'?"

Lupe closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking a moment. This wasn't her most pleasant subject.

"A long time back, back when Robotnik ruled…our village…our village was stormed by SWATbots. Robotnik was hunting for some much-needed resources in our region. The Wolfpack has always respected Mother Nature, raising the food we needed and leaving no mark but our footprints on the lands. We fought back with all our might, but their forces were simply too strong. Most of our population was either dead, or robotized. Fortunately… 'he' managed to escape from Robotnik's clutches and was only half-robotized. His freewill was still intact. He came home, much to everyone's relief. It eased my heart seeing him back. Because of our losses and to lessen the possibility of another strike, we had to go deeper underground, and live in seclusion. But we still continued living peacefully without incident. Then one night, 'he' just…disappeared. I have never seen him since."

"Who's 'he', Lupe?"

"His name is Gray. The Chief…well ex-Chief of the Wolfpack Tribe. Also, my husband."

Rotor spoke up. "He's known as Newblood now…at least that's what his buddies call him."

"Are you the new chief now?" Bunnie asked.

"...Yes Bunnie. I am. Hopefully, I'll be strong enough to follow in Gray's footsteps."

"Oh…I…I'm sorry to hear that Lupe…but…yeah, your husband seems to be working with the other two guys to collect the emeralds."

"Poor gal…" Bunnie murmured.

Lupe was shaking his head, looking stressed. Her wolf comrades looked down and shook their heads as well.

"I don't get it…why would he…why would he do that?"

"I don't know Lupe…I don't know…" Sally said.

Everyone remained quiet for the moment. Other than the roar of the fire, it was an awkward silence.

"It's getting pretty late Princess Sally Alicia Acorn. Would you like to spend the night here? Then I can give you the Emerald tomorrow morning. I'll give you the box as well so they wouldn't be able to track it. It's just a matter of time before they'll discover it here anyways. If Nicole can find it, then it's possible that either the radars are becoming more advanced, or our cloaking signal isn't strong enough."

She nodded, as well as her companions. "Sounds good to me Lupe…and just call me Sally. No need for the formalities."

"Of course…of course…come."

Lupe directed them to the resting quarters, where several sleeping bags laid around in another large decorated room. The three slipped into their 'beds' and made themselves comfortable.

"Good night. I'll see you all in the morning." Lupe said.

"Good night Lupe."

It was peace and quiet inside the Wolfpack base as Lupe, Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, as well as the others slept through the night. It was safe, that is until a force decided to give an unexpected wake up call. 

BOOM!

The Base as well as Lupine Hollow rumbled as if an earthquake was happening. Small rocks and pebbles fell from the ceiling. A few pots and books fell over. Startled, everyone jumped onto their feet. The three rushed into the living quarters where Lupe and the crew were up and alert as well.

"Lupe, what's going on!" Sally yelled.

"I don't know…some kind of earthquake?"

BOOM! BOOM! RUUUMMMBBBLLLE!

More objects and rocks fell to the ground. The shaking was enough to knock everyone off balance.

**_Next Chapter: The Conference _**


	9. The Conference

**Chapter 9 - The Conference**

The rumbling continued throughout the base and the caves, causing commotion and panic. Though Sally, Rotor, and Bunnie were alarmed, Lupe and her crew remained relatively calm. The Wolfpack knew what to do at a time like this.

"What's goin' on here, Lupe?" Bunnie asked, holding her ground.

"We're under attack it seems. It's possible that they have discovered our emerald's location."

The lupine tribe leader ran to the box containing the emerald, and handed it to Sally. "Here. Take this with you. I don't think it's going to be safe in here anymore."

"Thank you Lupe." 

Rotor couldn't keep his footing and fell on his backside. "Man…this is bad…what do we do?"

"Lupe, shall we use the secret exit?" Hugo, a brown husky, asked.

BOOM! Another strong rumble struck the place.

"Looks like we have no other choice…"

Lupe ran to the back of the room near the fireplace. She pushed a nearly invisible button just above it. A section of the wall slowly slid up, revealing a passage. "Come, everybody!"

Everyone entered and ran through the dark tunnel, going back and forth through the winding path. A short while later they were back outside in the cool night. The crew was standing, looking around. In the distance they could hear what sounded like robotic voices and laser fire.

_"…su…en….ch….ar…"_

Lupe's ears perked up at the faint sound. "…SWATbots…? It seems to be coming from the other side of the canyon walls. Let's move out and head for the source!"

Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, Lupe, and the rest of the pack made tracks.

Meanwhile, Antoine stood in front of the Lupine Hollow entrance. Ten SWATbots stood by with laser guns armed and ready. Four more sat in hover units armed with energy cannons. One more was in a huge tank. The green-robed coyote held his blade out to his right side, ready in an offensive posture.

"SURRENDER THE CHAOS EMERALD OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES." yelled the Commander SWATbot of the group. He was in the Panzer-47X, a powerful custom-built tank.

"Heh…you tinheads are really makin' it hard on yourselves." Antoine said in a unusually deeper voice. He spoke in perfect English. 

"SURRENDER THE CHAOS EMERALD OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES." 

"No."

The Commander ducked back into its tank. The large mobile weapon whirred as its long barrel turned and took aim. Ant watched closely, ready to react. Then it fired.

BOOM! 

The samurai effortlessly sidestepped the massive shell and it struck the canyon wall instead, easily blasting a big hole into it. 

"You're going to have to do better than that."

Just then Lupe and the crew arrived on the scene. A few of them were surprised to see their old friend here.

"Whoa…is that who I think it is?" Rotor commented, putting on his glasses. 

"A…Antoine…? Is that…is that you?" Sally asked. 

"Yeah Princess, it's me. An honor to grace me with your presence." he replied, then looked at Bunnie. "Hey baby. Nice seeing you again."

"…Baby? Nice…to…see you too Antoine. What're you doing here? What's with the get-up? Are…are you okay? Why are you talking like that?"

Antoine held the blade across his face and deflected a laser shot. "You ask too many questions my dear, but I'll be glad to answer them once this is over. Now you and the Princess and your whole gang get back. I can handle this myself."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sally shouted. "You can't handle that whole brigade on your own! You'll be killed!"

"Princess. Let me make this clear to you since you've obviously forgotten. My one duty is to protect you, Sally…always has been, always will be. I was told from your father and mine, your life is top priority. I will gladly give up my life for you. You are the future heir of the Acorn kingdom. If I let you die, not only will I shame your family and kingdom, I will also shame mine. Please understand."

"Antoine…"

"Princess. Please…if you insist on helping…do it from afar. Okay? Stay out of harm's way. For me. You don't want to be around when I lay down some canine fury."

"I…"

"Pride and duty…I know those all too well…" Lupe told her. "If this is what he wishes, so be it…but this doesn't mean we can't still offer assistance. Hugo?"

Hugo brought out a bag of grenades. "Here you guys, we can help him without getting in his way. We'll toss these to him. It oughtta help even out the odds." 

"SURRENDER THE CHAOS EMERALD OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES." 

Antoine twirled his blade out in front of him like a helicopter. "Yeah yeah… Get at me you broken record."

_Boss: Panzer-47X Tank, 10 SWATbots, 4 Hover Units_ (Player: **Antoine**)   
The Panzer-47X Tank will sit in the far back. The machine won't do anything and is protected by a shield, so don't bother with it right now. The SWATbots are the weakest part of this group. They're relatively slow and fire only one shot at a time, so get rid of them first before they surround you. The 4 Hover Units are going to be a bigger problem. They'll sweep the area, searing their paths with energy beams. Keep an eye up and stay out of their way to avoid getting hit. Your pals from afar will toss you grenades from time to time. Don't worry, they won't be armed until you pick it up. Walk over the grenade to do so. Hurry and press the A button to toss it before it explodes. If a Hover Unit gets caught in the blast, it'll crash. Run like the wind and give it a good slashing before it gets off the ground again. Repeat until the rest of the Hover Units are destroyed. Don't forget about that tank now. Once you've taken out the SWATbots and Hover Units, it'll start to move. It may be the slowest and biggest target, but it's also the most dangerous. Its shield will prevent damage from your sword, but not from grenades. Watch for the treads, they'll do significant damage if you get caught in its path. The main cannon is what you've got to watch out for. It's not wise to stay in one spot for too long. A direct hit will inflict 40 percent damage to your life. Four well-placed grenade blasts will deactivate the shield. Sword time. Thrash away. Keep at it, and eventually the tank will fall. Defeat the brigade to pass.

Antoine stood amidst of the destruction, still holding White Coyote tight. The wind blew as he stood there motionless with his eyes closed, his robe fluttering with the breeze. Everyone ran down to him. Bunnie embraced the coyote in a hug, and then kissed him on the cheek.

"Are you okay Twan?"

"I'm fine Bunnie. I'm fine…" he said, then put his sword back in its sheath.

"By the looks of things, I'd say you've gone through a lot. Where have you been?" Rotor asked.

"I went to Blue Mountain and learned the way of the samurai from Kit Ri. He's a prick, but he's a good teacher. I figured that if I want to protect myself as well as the Princess, I'd have to learn some self-defense. I've been following you all from the shadows. Good thing too."

"Wait a sec…are you the one who freed us from the prison earlier...and trashed all those SWATbots in the process?"

"That's right Rotor. That's what friends do, right? Help each other."

"..Y..Yes, of course." 

Sally had another question. "What is with your voice? You don't sound French at all. You sound…different."

"I sound different? I haven't really noticed, my Princess."

"I see… Well…It's good to see you back Antoine."

"Likewise." 

"That was a close call, but at least the emerald is still safe."

"You should determine where the next emerald is located, before the other guys do." Lupe suggested.

Sally took you-know-what out of her pocket again. "Good thinking. Nicole, show the location of the next closest Chaos Emerald."

"SCANNING FOR CHAOS EMERALD ENERGY READING………100 percent…SCANNING COMPLETED. THE WHITE EMERALD IS LOCATED ON ANGEL ISLAND, APPROXIMATELY 21,000 FEET ABOVE THE EARTH'S SURFACE, IN THE NORTHWEST REGION OF THE 4TH QUADRANT."

"Angel Island…the floating island…interesting…Anyways, Thanks Nicole."

Lupe and Sally nodded and shook hands. Both teams of Freedom Fighters looked on.

"Well, it's been nice meeting you people. Thank you for the emerald and your hospitality Lupe."

"It's no problem at all. Mr. Antoine, thank you for protecting our home. We owe you much gratitude."

"Don't mention it…and just Antoine will suffice, Loopy."

Sally walked around the canyon wall toward the Freedom Stormer. "I'm surprised this plane isn't toast already."

She jumped into the cockpit and started it up. It did the usual sputter before the engine revved up to full. She drove the plane over to the crew, who were waiting.

"Alright guys, next stop Angel Island!"

Rotor rode shotgun, while Bunnie and Antoine took back seats. Lupe and the pack simply watched. 

"Ready you guys?"

"Ready sally girl."

"Ready."

"Angel Island. Here we come."

"WAIT!" Lupe yelled, prompting Sally to stop. She ran to her side.

"What is it Lupe?" 

"If…if you happen to run into Gray on your journey…please tell him…that I still love him…whether he'll listen or not…I don't know…but please tell him. Okay?"

"Okay Lupe. I will."

"Don't forget…"

"I won't. I promise."

The Freedom Stormer gained some momentum and soon lifted up into the early morning sky. The upper half of the sun revealed itself through the clouds. The lupine crew down below waved to them as they became smaller from their point of view.

"Gray…" Lupe said to herself. She looked down, and gently patted her belly.. 

The bi-plane continued its journey toward Angel Island, which they could barely see. It was still some distance away. The ride continued thus far without a hitch.

"There's the island. Dead ahead!" Rotor pointed. "Shouldn't be too long now." 

Suddenly, a small robotic spider latched itself to the front seat between Sally and Rotor. It clicked and whirred as it skittered about. A red light was flashing on it.

Rotor nearly leapt out of his seat. "WHOA! What is THAT!"

"Gah…shoo!" Sally tried to smash it with one hand while steering the plane with the other, but it kept dodging.

"EEEEEK! I really hate spiders!" Bunnie screamed.

"I got this." Antoine said. With the quickness, he put the sword out and sliced the small metallic spider clean in half. It sparked with its internal circuitry exposed. He tossed the two halves out of the plane.

It wasn't over though. Small enemy fighter jets approached The Freedom Stormer with hostile fire. Sally weaved back and forth between the shots. She returned with some fire of her own, courtesy of the mounted mini gatling gun. One plane was hit dead on, and it went down in a stream of smoke. The other's wing was struck, and gradually decreased altitude.

"First the creepy spider, now these guys. Someone doesn't want us to get to Angel Island."

Antoine climbed to the top wing of the bi-plane, with blade in hand. His loose robe flapped wildly in the strong wind.

Bunnie looked up at him. "Twan…what're you doing up there! Are you nuts!"

"I have a plan. Sally, you pilot and take care of the enemy aircraft. I'll be here in case more spiders decide to bum a ride. Rotor and Bunnie, you two sit there and look important."

The purple one shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds as good a plan as any. Sally, are you sure you can handle this? I can take over if you want." 

"Thanks, but I'm fine Rotor."

More enemy jets were zooming toward their position.

_Stage 20: Sky Rush_ (Player: **Sally** and **Antoine**)   
Mission: Get to Angel Island.  
You will alternate controlling between Sally and Antoine. As Sally, use the analog stick to control the direction of the Freedom Stormer. Hold the A button to fire the mini-gatling gun. A life bar will appear in the lower-right corner of the screen. The plane is large and cumbersome, making it hard to dodge enemy fire. Your best bet is to eliminate the enemy jets before they can get into firing range. Periodically, metallic spiders will latch onto the plane. Control will automatically switch to Antoine. The usual swordplay commands apply. After a set amount of time, a spider will explode, causing damage to the plane. Pursue and slice up those spiders quick before that happens. Once the current wave of spiders is gone, control will switch back to Sally with more jet-blasting goodness. This cycle will rinse and repeat. If your plane takes too many hits, whether from gunfire or spiders, you'll crash and burn. Complete the stage by arriving on Angel Island.

The Freedom Stormer landed safely on the airstrip of Angel Island. The floating land before them had remnants of a recent battle. Scrap metal, fire and smoke were strewn throughout with reckless abandon. There was a small city nearby, already marked with scuffles. 

"Geez…Don't tell me someone already got to the emerald." Sally commented.

A lion cub wearing red and green Hawaiian shorts ran up to their plane. It looked like he had some urgent news. "Ooh! Ooh! Are you here for the Congregation Meeting?" 

The four in the plane looked at each other, dumbfounded. "Congregation Meeting?"

"Yeppers! Just about all the important people on Earth are there at Congregation Hall in Echidnapolis over there…both human and mobian."

"What's this meeting about?"

"A worldwide threat Ms. Chipmunk lady. Allow me to guide you to the Meeting."

Meanwhile at the Angel Island Congregation Hall, a meeting of epic proportions was about to take place. Citizens from all over the globe have been arranged to gather here to discuss the current situation at hand. After receiving news about the devastating attack on Station Square, Sandblast City, a seaside tropical village, and the recent attack on Angel Island, the mighty red echidna known as Knuckles took it upon himself to have this conference take place. As of now, the participants of this congregation include the Station Square President, his female Vice President, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Rouge, Knuckles, Mighty, Espio, Vector, Charmy, Nack, Bean, Bark, Chief Mittens, Jack Rabbit, Blitzer, Sneaks, Buster. More will surely follow.

In the massive decorated room, Knuckles stood at the podium in preparation. A large carpeted aisle parted the sea of occupied chairs. The people talked amongst themselves as they waited for the assembly to start. Sonic, Tails, and Amy sat in a row near the front.

"Look Tails, I've already told you. It's okay…you didn't mean to. Stop blaming yourself."

"It's all my fault Sonic…if I hadn't let the emeralds go…I could've..."

Amy patted Tails on the head. "Cheer up little fox. They're the bad guys remember? They've destroyed Station Square just to meet their own selfish ends."

"I'd really like to know what that white hedgehog was all about though…probably another one of Gerald's creations. Heh heh…yeah. That's it… I don't need another faker running around. There's only one true blue hedgehog around here, and that's me!"

The Chaotix sat in a row together near the back.

"I sure hope my man Knux knows what he's getting himself into." Vector told Espio. "I haven't even seen these three jokers before and they're already crawlin' under my skin."

"I agree…but whoever they are, it would be smart to take them seriously. They've already destroyed several cities, one after another."

"Yeah! They really mean business! I'm pretty scared to tell you the truth.." Charmy said.

Vector cranked the volume up on his headphones. "Hey now…I don't need that negative jive, Charms. You either step up or get jacked up. It's a way of life."

Mighty sat back with crossed arms and stared at the wall. "…heh…and I thought it would be peace and quiet with Robotnik gone. I couldn't be more wrong."

Nack, Bean, and Bark sat a couple rows in front of the Chaotix.

The purple weasel twirled the Revolver around on his finger, occupied with his favorite thing in the world. His upper body was bandaged. He was still recovering from the laser piercing through his chest.

"Mmm…imagine the fat reward I'll get if we kill those three you guys. 1 million…10 million…hell, probably even more than that!"

"How could you think of money at a time like this, purple rat?" Bark asked.

"And why not? Think about it. Saving the world ought to bring a big fortune. If I get a helluva lot o' money for this, I won't have to work this mercenary stint anymore. I'll be set for life. Ahh…nothing but wine, women, and song for the rest of my days…"

Bean chuckled to himself. "You gotta hand it to Nack, Bark. He's quite the…what do they call it…umm…optimist." 

"Yeah. I'd like to call him something, but it ain't an "optimist"."

The Station Square President, along with his Vice President, Rouge, Chief Mittens, Jack Rabbit, Buster, Blitzer, and Sneaks sat at on the stage behind Knuckles' podium. 

Jack and his gang waved to Sonic and Tails in the front row. They returned the favor by shaking their fists.

"How much do you think it'll cost to rebuild Station Square Mr. President?" Rouge asked.

"Don't even get me started. Thankfully, the casualties were lower than expected considering the situation. The city's population has been relocated as planned."

RING RING…

The assistant's cell phone rang. She immediately unclipped it and answered. "Hello? Mmm hmm. Okay. You have a phone call Mr. President. It's your mother."

"Tell her I'm busy right now. I'll call her back."

"Alright." she said. "Miss? Yes, your son is quite busy right now. May I take a message?….I see…okay…thank you…alright…of course…of course…you're absolutely right…yes…I know…I agree…ALRIGHT…yes ma'am…goodbye. I'm hanging up…goodbye. GOODBYE. Yeesh…"

"What did she want?"

"You know the usual…yada yada…you don't come visit me anymore…yada yada…no way to treat your mother…yada yada…you're breaking my heart…yada yada…"

Knuckles approached the podium and cleared his throat into the microphone. The murmuring dulled down to a soft silence. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The seminar would now begin.

"Ahem! Your attention please. This Congregation will now be in session. I have sent the urgent message far and wide across the planet. I thank you all for replying and attending. The point of this meeting is to discuss the current events at hand, and to take the best possible course of action. If this worldwide threat is to be eliminated, then it will take a worldwide effort on our part. Now…if you may President of Station Square, stand up and approach the podium."

Knuckles returned to his seat, and the three-piece suit man stood up to the microphone.

"As you may or may not know, Station Square fell victim to a vicious attack approximately 5 days ago. An armada, if you will, of armed airships was the culprit. More than half of the city was destroyed, resulting in several hundred million dollars in property damage, and several thousand casualties. It was truly a sad day in Station Square's history. Sonic and Tails experienced the carnage firsthand. You two, could you please come up to the podium."

Mr. President sat back down. The fox and hedgehog walked up to the microphone, maintaining coolness.

"A bummer to say the least." Sonic said. "It appeared that these three dudes are leading this attack across the world. One was a half-metal wolf, another was a white faker hedgehog, and some armored masked guy with a red cape. They traveled around in a large mothership, but it was destroyed by my buddy Tails…who also rescued me…"

"I lost the Chaos Emeralds you guys…it's all my fault…I fought them as best as I could…but I failed…"

"Tails…stop it."

More murmuring and speculation spread out through the building. Sonic and Tails sat down as Chief Mittens stood up, with composure.

"But still…I don't get why they these guys and their airships would bother attacking a small backwater village. We're just living off the fish, water, and plant life that grow around here."

Jack Rabbit and his posse got up to their feet as well. "Sandblast City is one of the less-technologically inclined places in the world, surrounded my miles upon miles of sand. They wouldn't gain anything significant from attacking the place, but they did anyway."

Nack stood up from his chair, twirling the gun some more before putting it back in its holster. "Tch. How could I forget? I almost got killed by that half-rustbucket crotch-sniffing mongrel. I remember what he said before I fell from the roof. "You already know too much."" 

"Bark and I were scared to death. We thought the worst when he got shot and started falling. Thankfully, the wolf left shortly afterwards. What a chilling howl he did…whew…sends shivers down my spine."

Knuckles stepped back up to the microphone. "Thank you everyone. As you might've guessed, Angel Island was just attacked this morning. Thanks to the efforts of Sonic, Tails, the Chaotix, and myself, we've warded those bot-brains off. I know why they attacked this place. It's because of this…"

The red echidna pulled out a white emerald, its shine emanating. "What they plan to do with this emerald, I don't know…but I can bet it's something big. Perhaps…this is why these places have been attacked. No offense Tails but…the emeralds that fell from the mothership must've landed in the cities and towns that you people mentioned."

"That's right…" came a voice from the door. Everyone turned around and looked. It was Sally and her gang. 

"Those guys are searching the globe for the Chaos Emeralds. Last time I've checked they got one of them. They're planning something called a "Crisis Project"".

"Who are you?" Knuckles asked. "And what is this…Crisis Project…that you speak of?"

"I'm Sally…and this is Antoine, Bunnie, and Rotor. We reside in the Kingdom of Acorn. We've encountered them…as some of you probably did. About the Crisis Project, I'm just as lost in the dark as you are. I can only assume that it's really bad."

"What's in the box?" Knux asked, noticing the object in Sally's hands.

"In this box is the green Chaos Emerald. I found it in the Wolfpack Base near Drood Henge.

"Hmm…I see." Knux muttered. "So…You have one…and I have one…so that makes two. We have to guard these with our lives."

"No doubt about that sugah-dreads."

"Sugah-dreads? Oh man…just call me Knuckles, okay? Well, thanks for coming to the meeting you guys…find yourselves some seats."

Sally and her group sat down a couple of rows in front of the Chaotix. There was a knock on the door shortly after. Everyone turned toward the entrance once again.

"Who is it?" Knuckles asked.

"An old friend."

"Hmm? Come in."

The door opened. A yellow-furred, blue-eyed squirrel stepped into the building. The 5' tall mobian had short, spiky blonde hair. He wore an open light-blue vest, and striped blue & black high-top shoes. His gloves were a pure white, his tail was long and bushy. His body was reasonably toned, like he had been exercising. In his right hand was a gray duffel bag.

Sonic quickly stood up. He couldn't believe his eyes. It had to be an illusion. "…R…Ray? Is that…oh my gosh! Is that really you!"

"In the fur, my man."

"(…Ray?)" Knux pondered.

The blue hedgehog walked up to the slightly taller squirrel and gave him a hearty handshake, followed by a friendly hug and pat on the back. "Where the heck have you been man? It's been so long!"

"Oh…here and there. I travel the world, taking in the sights. It's awesome seeing you here too Sonic. Really awesome. I heard the news, so I decided to come over." 

Sonic looked up at him. "Whew…man…you sure sprouted, Ray. I remember you being shorter than me. Been eating your vegetables or what?"

"Nah…I hate vegetables. Just lucky I guess. It's a shame we can't catch up on old times right now, with the world in jeopardy and all."

"Yeah…perhaps when we win this thing, we'll go grab a bite to eat and reminisce on the good ol' days."

"I'm looking forward to it. Where's my man Mighty at?"

The armadillo was daydreaming again, staring at the wall.

"Yo Mighty!"

"…" 

"MIGHTY!"

"…"

Vector tapped him on the shoulder. "Yo Hardback, your buddy's calling ya!" 

"Hmm…what?" he mumbled. He looked over and nearly had a heart attack seeing his old friend.

"Hoooolllyyyy….RAY! Oh my…you've gotta be kidding!"

Mighty ran toward him and gave a handshake and hug. "Thought I'd never see you again! What's up man? It's been years!"

"I could say the same thing. It's been the same ol', same ol'. Nothing much buddy boy."

"You look way different…not to mention growing like a weed. Wow."

"Milk does a body good , I suppose. Heh heh…say, Sonic suggested that we get together, grab a bite to eat, and catch up on some old times once we beat this menace. What do ya say to that, Mighty?"

"That sounds great Ray. I'll definitely take you up on that offer."

Sonic, Mighty, and Ray gave each other high-fives simultaneously. "Alright!" 

Everyone in the Congregation simply stared. Knuckles had the blankest look on his face that anyone has ever seen. "Uhh…touching reunion and all that you guys, but could we get back to the matter at hand…you know…a WORLDWIDE THREAT…if you don't MIND?" 

Sonic and Mighty blushed as they went back to their seats. Ray sat between the Station Square and Chaotix crew. He smiled and nodded at a fellow squirrel, Sally. She blushed, then nodded and smiled back.

Knuckles continued. "Now…before we were so rudely interrupted…"

KNOCK KNOCK.

"Grrrr….WHO IS IT NOW?"

Here was an unexpected guest. A certain black and red 'ultimate life form' stepped into the aisle. Shadow the Hedgehog.

"Sorry. I was late."

"Obviously." Knux replied.

"DID SOMEBODY SET OFF THE FAKER ALARM?" 

"Shut up Sonic."

"Better late than never I suppose…take your seat Shadow. Hurry up. All these interruptions are getting on my nerves. Now…where were we...oh yes...we have two emeralds in our possession. As long as we have at least one, we're safe. Though I wish I knew where the other ones are."

"Your problems are solved, Knuckles." Sally interrupted, taking out that palm pilot. "This machine is able to do many things…including tracking the locations of the Chaos Emeralds by scanning for its distinct energy reading."

"Oh really?"

"That's right Knuckles…check this out. Nicole. Tell me the locations of the 5 remaining Chaos Emeralds."

"SCANNING FOR CHAOS ENERGY READING…COMPLETED...TRACKING... THE YELLOW AND BLUE EMERALDS ARE INSIDE AN AIRBORNE SHIP."

"Airborne ship. Shoot…they've got two themselves…"

"THE RED EMERALD IS LOCATED IN THE HILLTOP REGION, APPROXIMATELY 46 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE SEASIDE TROPICAL VILLAGE. THE PURPLE EMERALD IS LOCATED IN THE MYSTIC CAVES, APPROXIMATELY 172 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STATION SQUARE. THE ORANGE EMERALD IS LOCATED UNDERWATER, DEEP IN THE CENTRA OCEAN LABYRINTH. APPROXIMATELY 310 MILES WEST OF SANDBLAST CITY." 

"Thanks Sally, quite a handy device you got there. So...three emeralds still remain unclaimed." Knux said, then commenced in some thinking. "Hmm…"

"…"

Sonic, Tails, Amy, and the Chaotix were whispering something amongst themselves. The President and Rouge were discussing something as well.

"..."

"…Alright. It's decided. I, Knuckles, and the Chaotix will go to the Hilltop region, Mystic Caves, and Centra Ocean Labyrinth to pursue those three emeralds. Meanwhile, all you guys will stay here and guard these two emeralds." 

"Tch. Wouldn't it have been more efficient to split us up into teams?" Shadow asked.

"These guys destroyed multiple cities, Shadow. They've got some serious power on their side. We'll need all the defense we can get. Even if me and the Chaotix fail in acquiring the other emeralds, we still have these two here. Sonic, Tails, Shadow, Rouge, Amy, Ray, Sally, Antoine, Rotor, Bunnie, Nack, Bean, Bark, Mr. President…as well as the rest of you…I'm counting on you to protect these emeralds while we're gone…ESPECIALLY you, True Blue."

Sonic gave him the raspberry. "Geeee…thanks Rad Red! No pressure at all!" 

"Alright…Vector! Mighty! Charmy! Espio! We're going to Hilltop first to obtain the red emerald. Chaotix! Let's roll on out!"

"Sweet! Chaotix is on the move, and Vector's in the groove!"

"Let's hope all my hard work training in ninjitsu will pay off."

"Rock and roll you guys! Woohoo!" 

"If anyone gets in our way, I'll knock 'em out." 

The echidna, crocodile, bee, armadillo, and chameleon walked down the aisle and out of the Congregation Hall.

Knuckles turned around and announced to the people. "This meeting is now closed."

**_End Sally's scenario._**


	10. Calm Before the Storm

_Begin Knuckles' scenario._

**Chapter 10 – Calm Before the Storm**

Everyone in the Congregation Hall followed suit and went outside. The 20+ strong spread out to various parts of Angel Island to increase surveillance. The enemy could strike at any time. Knuckles, Vector, Charmy, Espio, and Mighty were ready to set out to their first destination, when they were stopped by the blue hedgehog.

"Wait up Knucklehead!" he yelled as he ran up to them. He had something in his hand.

"What is it Sonic? We have to go. Now."

"This communicator will keep us in touch. If trouble starts up here, we'll give you a buzz. Or if you just want to have a conversation and talk about your feelings, you can do that too."

"…Yeah. Thanks. Whatever. I'll keep that in mind." Knux said, taking the device from him. "I'll see you later."

"See ya! Don't screw up! The world is depending on you!"

"What's up with the negative vibes!" Vector yelled. "Don't jinx the man like that! Let him do his thing!"

"Vector's right." Espio added. "The fear is often worse than the danger itself." 

Sonic put his hands up, being defensive. "Alright alright…sorry. All of you will do just fine."

"We'll be back before you know it. Let's go Chaotix."

The echidna and his crew turned around once more, but Knux was stopped again when he felt a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to turn around. "Hmm? What is it now Son…oh? May I help you?"

Ray gave a little chuckle. "Sorry about that. I just wanted to say good luck to you. That's all."

"Uh…thanks."

Knux and the Chaotix waved to everyone, and they returned the gesture. The echidna and his band walked up to the edge of the floating island. For the exception of a few clouds scattered about, it was a perfect clear view of the land below.

"Chaotix! Follow my lead. Our destination: Hilltop Heights. We have a red emerald to nab. Let's go."

Knux leapt off with his fists forward and began to glide down toward the Earth. In a quick wisp of the wind and a few fluttering leaves, Espio disappeared and reappeared on the echidna's back. Vector put his hands up and grabbed Charmy as he began lift off. Mighty grabbed hold of Vector's feet. Poor Charmy had the duty of carrying the heavyweights.

"Gee whiz. Urrragh…you get heavier and heavier every time I carry you guys…ever consider a diet you two?"

Vector looked up at him. "Hey…why you gotta diss us like that? We could say that you're too scrawny and that you need to work out!"

Mighty agreed. "I concur with what fatty said."

"Haha!" Charmy laughed along with the armadillo.

The crocodile looked up at the bee and down at Mighty again and again, not very amused. "H-HEY! I'm not fat! I'm supposed to be heavy! It's natural for a crocodile." 

"Really?" Mighty asked. "I guess it was 'natural for a crocodile' when you ate 3 whole pizzas in the fridge that one time?"

Charmy stick his tongue at him. "Yeah! Thanks for asking if we wanted any you pig!"

"No one else was eating them!"

"IT WAS 3 IN THE MORNING!"

"And? I was hungry! Why all the hatin n' hostility?"

"Next time we get pizzas, you're buying."

"We should glue your mouth shut too!"

"Charmy! You said Mighty was heavy too! Go rag on him!"

"Okay Vector. Hey Mighty. Have you ever stuffed your face with three pizzas in the middle of the night?"

"Nope. I sure haven't!"

"Are you selfish and not care if you deprive your friends of extra cheese and pepperoni goodness?" 

"Absolutely not! I wouldn't dare do such a thing!" 

"Cool! Back to you Vector!"

"STOP PICKIN' ON ME! THIS AIN'T COOL! I'M SORRY, AWRIGHT!"

"Sorry that you did it, or sorry that we're bringing it up?" Mighty asked.

Both Knuckles and Espio rolled their eyes as they heard the squabble continue behind them. The chameleon was sharpening a shuriken with a small knife, and the red guardian remained on course.

"Some things never change…" Espio said.

"I know…everyday it's the same routine. Fight, yell, complain." 

"But regardless of that, we stick together through thick and thin and pull through."

"No doubt that Espio. Hilltop's getting close."

Several minutes later, the five descended and landed upon the Hilltop area. This was an unstable high-altitude region of lush green grass, rocky trails and pine trees broken up by pits of lava. Not to mention the occasional earthquake shaking things up. The constant high-pressure underground faults keep the rumbles coming. A mighty volcano sat far back in the distance, a swirl of clouds circled its narrow peak.

"I can sense the emerald…" Knux told his crew. "It seems to be coming from that direction…toward the volcano up ahead, possibly inside it." 

Espio cracked a smile, raising his right hand. Three shurikens were placed in between his fingertips. "Inside it huh? I'm looking forward to a challenge."

The ground shook for a moment, almost knocking everyone down. Mighty looked around, then spotted some red lights dead ahead. The faint sound of machinery was also heard in the same direction. "Hold on…looks like those tin-heads we met on Angel Island are here too."

Charmy gained some air to get a better look.

Vector looked up, curious. "What do ya see, Charms?"

The bee put a hand over his eyes to block out the sun. "…Sheesh! There're robots scattered all along the path to the volcano! These models look different too…they're not like the ones we beat before, Vector." 

"Tch. The bots must be here for the bling-bling too." 

Knux clenched his fists together, and cracked his neck. "Shoot…but it's to be expected I suppose. No time to lose. We'll have to bust our way to the volcano. Charmy, are you set?" 

"Ready!"

"Mighty, are you ready?"

"Right behind you Knux."

"Espio, good to go?"

"I am prepared."

"Vector, shall we begin?"

"Let's get this party started."

Knuckles and the Chaotix stood side by side in a line, then marched down the soon-to-be treacherous path.

_Stage 21: Hilltop Heights_ (Player: **Knuckles**)  
Mission: Get to the volcano.  
_Yo, this is Knuckles and the Chaotix  
And we're back to our old tricks  
We've been away for a while  
And now we're here to kick some butt in Hilltop Heights  
We shall find all the missing emeralds  
They wanna play us like fools?  
Then they're playin' with the wrong crew…_

Traverse through this unpredictable high-altitude region where the natural elements are just as dangerous as the SWATbots. Jump carefully from platform to platform floating upon the lava. Climb sheer rocky walls, and glide over huge chasms. Earthquakes will happen from time to time, causing certain sections of land to rise, sink, split apart, or all three. Keep your eyes peeled. For the interior portions of the stage, a door will shut behind you. The area will start shaking and the magma will begin to rise. Ascend as fast as you can via platforms, climbing, jumping, etc. New, deadlier models of SWATbots are prowling about here too. The silver swatbots are armed with micro chain guns, so be wary of their rapid fire. Red swatbots are armed with flamethrowers with surprising range. Jump over the sweeping flames and nail them. Black swatbots are equipped with ball-n-chains. Watch for a spark in their eye, that's when they'll launch the ball. Avoid it and quickly knock the bot out. Knuckles can use the B button and a direction simultaneously to throw different punches. That will be explained later. Of course, your Chaotix buddies got your back. Push a direction on the C stick and a Chaotix member will appear. Knux and the sidekick will both be holding a ring, keeping them together. Push the X button and the assistant will perform a move, at a certain cost of the Burst Meter. Push the Y button and the connecting ring will glow, causing Knux to inherit that Chaotix member's ability. Your Burst Meter will steadily drain (2 percent per second) as long as Knuckles still has the ability. You can push the Y button again to cancel. Push the Z button if you rather go as the echidna alone. The following is a list of the Chaotix's moves and inherit abilities, as well as the percentage cost of the Burst Meter.

C Stick Up - Mighty. Move: Rush Punch - Mighty will rush forward with a long range punch. (20 percent) Inherit: Knuckles' punches will be more powerful.

C Stick Down - Charmy. Move: Sting - Charmy's sting will stun a nearby enemy for several seconds. (15 percent) Inherit: Knuckles' jump height is increased. 

C Stick Left - Espio. Move: Shuriken Throw - Espio will let loose with ninja stars that take out all enemies on-screen. (40 percent) Inherit: Knuckles' speed is increased.

C Stick Right - Vector. Move: Pump It Up - Vector cranks up the headphones and knocks all nearby enemies back with a musical blast. Slight damage. (20 percent) Inherit: Knuckles' digging has a higher success rate.

Knuckles fighting moves:  
B button: Hook. (Damage: C)  
Up & B: Jab. (Damage: B)  
Left/right & B: Left/right Body Blow (Damage: B)  
Down & B: Uppercut (Damage: A)  
L Button: Block (not all attacks can be blocked)  
R Button: Focus on nearest enemy.  
Enemies won't go down in one hit. Find combinations to effectively take out your foes. Some SWATbots are weak in the head, some in the body, or no weaknesses at all. Keep that in mind. Complete the stage by reaching the base of the volcano. 

Knuckles stepped through the opening into the volcano, with his comrades right behind him. They could feel and see the heat and humidity of the place. It was seething. The path ahead was lined with slow moving currents of magma, going every which way. Steam was thick in the air. A hot orange glow consumed the area.

"I can feel the emerald's presence…it's really strong here." the leader told them.

Vector had to fan himself to keep cool. "Whoooowee…it's hotter than a devil's drawers in here…" 

Charmy hovered right in front of the crocodile's face, letting his wings fan him. "Is that better Vector?"

"Ahh…much better Charms. Thanks man."

"No prob."

Espio put a hand out to the side, alerting the gang. "Shh…there's something big here…and it's not the emerald." The chameleon vanished in a twirl of leaves and reappeared on a higher ledge. 

"What do you see?" Mighty questioned. "Is it trouble?" 

He leapt to another ledge, his light feet not making so much as a sound. "I see more swatbots…and I see something really big with them…I can't tell what it is though…"

Meanwhile, on Angel Island.

Sally sat under a tree, near the edge of the island. She leaned back against the trunk, taking in the magnificent view of the sky ahead of her. The shade kept her cool from the sun beaming down upon the floating land.

"May I sit here?" came a voice from behind her.

"Huh?" She looked up. There was a familiar face. "Oh…h…hi Ray. Wh…what brings you here?" 

The squirrel had a sunflower in his hand, with an inviting little grin. "Just thought I'd talk…to get to know you better. Here you go. I picked this for you."

She blushed, taking the flower from him. "..T…thanks…umm…what did you want to talk about?"

Ray sat down beside her, looking at the same piece of sky she was looking at.

Antoine was watching them carefully from behind some nearby bushes. "I don't like this…I don't like this at all. That charlatan is getting awfully close to the Princess."

"What are you doing?"

The coyote was a bit surprised and turned around quick. It was Sonic.

"Shh! Get down!"

The blue hedgehog was pulled down behind the bushes along with him. "What are you doing anyways?"

"I'm protecting Sally. I'm her bodyguard you know."

"Protecting her? It looks you're spying on her to me."

"Call it what you want. I'm just making sure everything's on the up and up, without disturbing her."

"Ray is cool. You don't need to worry about him."

"We'll see about that." 

Ray and Sally began to laugh. The both of them seemed to be having a nice time. Their lips were moving but Sonic and Antoine couldn't tell what they were saying.

"I wonder what they're talking about over there…" the canine wondered.

"What are you two doing?"

Both hedgehog and coyote turned around. It was Tails.

"Get down!" both of them said.

Tails was pulled down behind the bushes along with Sonic and Antoine. "So guys…what're we doing? Playing hide and seek?"

"Nah little buddy…coyote boy here is spying on Sally over there. I think he's jealous."

"Tch. You assume too much. One, I'm not jealous. My heart already belongs with someone else. Two, my name is Antoine D'Coolette…not 'coyote boy'. Three, I'm not spying. I'm making sure she's safe. I don't trust that Ray character one bit."

Sonic and Tails looked at each other. They didn't believe it. "…He's spying."

"Shut up."

Sally turned around suddenly, toward the bushes. "…Did you hear something Ray?"

"Shoot! I think she saw us!" Antoine told them. "Stay absolutely still!"

All three stood still like statues, not daring to move another muscle. The only thing they could hear right now are their own rapid heartbeats. 

"…No….I don't think so…" Ray replied.

She continued to look toward the shrubbery. "…Hmph…my imagination I suppose." she muttered, and then turned back around toward the sky. 

Tails panted. "Whew…that was close…we almost got spotted!"

"What in the world are you three fools doing in the bushes? Having a secret club or something?"

Sonic, Tails, and Antoine turned heads. It was Nack.

"Mind telling me what the hell y'all are doing?"

"Shh! Get down here!"

Nack was pulled down into the greenery.

"Hey now. You all still haven't told me what's going on."

"Ant here is 'watching' Sally over there. He's her bodyguard." 

"Watching eh? It looks more like he's…"

"The next person that says I'm spying gets his ear lopped off."

"…" 

"Look!" Tails pointed. "Ray's getting closer to Sally!"

Like the fox said, Ray leaned over toward Sally's ear and began whispering. It was a long while as he continued to say whatever he was saying to her privately. She turned away soon after with a hand on her face, blushing even a deeper red.

Nack grinned. "Heh heh…well…this is getting interesting…"

"Oh that's it…I'm chopping something off." Antoine growled, getting up. But he was pulled back down by Sonic.

"Chill out. Like I said before, Ray is cool. He didn't do anything wrong Ant. Don't be so uptight."

"Uptight? That man probably said some inappropriate, foul things to Her Majesty. I won't stand for it."

"WHAT ARE YOU PERVERTS DOING!"

The four shrub occupants did a 180 and looked up. It was Amy, tapping her foot with her hands on her hip.

"Shhhh!" Sonic told her. 

"SHHHH! Nothing! Those two are trying to have a romantic moment together and you all are being peeping toms!"

Nack cocked his head to the side. "Peeping? I prefer to call it observing."

"We weren't doing anything bad. Honest!" Tails insisted. "We're just inspecting the texture of these leaves here. Hmm hmm…interesting…yes…"

"We're not perverts. You're in no position to make the call." Antoine said. 

Amy yelled out, while pointing down toward the bushes. "HEY SALLY! HEY RAY! SONIC, TAILS, ANTOINE, AND NACK ARE WATCHING YOU FROM IN HERE!"

"Run!" Nack shouted.

Hedgehog, fox, coyote, and weasel ran like the wind and scattered in different directions.

Amy readied her Piko Piko hammer, and gave chase. "Boys…go figure…COME BACK HERE YOU PERVS!"

Sally was fuming. She picked up a big stick and followed Amy. "ANTOIIIIIIIINE!"

Ray simply laughed out loud to himself.

Back at the volcano…

Knuckles continued to lead the pack deeper into the smoldering venue. "Let's keep marching Chaotix. The emerald is so close I can taste it."

_Stage 22: Blast Volcano_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
Mission: Find the red emerald.  
_It's gettin' fierce now in Blast Volcano  
Where the action's hot and the magmas flow   
The danger is seething around every turn  
One wrong move and you'll feel the burn  
But Knux and the Chaotix still remain cool   
As we rush ahead to nab that jewel…_

Things get hot and heavy inside the volcano. In the first section of the stage, streams of lava will criss-cross along the twisting path. Not to mention flames will shoot out of the ceiling, floor, and walls. Use some dodging skills to get around them. In the second part of the stage, you will have to scale a giant rock wall. This area of the volcano is extremely unstable. Watch for cracks that will form in parts of the wall, these are where lava will spew out. Keep on the lookout for discolored sections as you climb. Dig into these for powerups and rings. After you reach the top of the wall, you will be in the third and final part of the stage. Here, Knuckles and his comrades will ride on a large stone platform down a huge magma river. The ride won't be easy though; chain-gun packing SWATbots will shoot at you from afar on overlooking ledges. Espio's shurikens are the only thing that will take them out. If you don't want to spend the Burst power, just stick it out and avoid the shots as you pass by. Complete the stage by reaching the red emerald, which is floating about on the surface of the magma.

Knux pointed straight ahead, at the crimson jewel floating in the hot river. "There it is! The Chaos Emerald!"

"Whew! Bout time!" Vector told him as he rubbed his expensive gold medallion to a shine. A big 'V' was etched into it. "At least the hard part's over.."

Espio bent down on one knee and wiped his forehead. "Man…I must be slacking in my training. Usually something like this doesn't tire me out at all."

"Heat and humidity will do that to anybody Espio. We're inside a freaking volcano you know." Mighty said.

"Now I'll just have to reach it…" the echidna muttered. He reached out further and further as their platform got closer and closer. It was merely a few feet away. "Almooost…got…it…" 

Charmy flew over ahead of him. "Allow me Knuckles! No need to reach for it!"

"…Okay. Go for it."

Knux looked above as the young bee swooped down quickly and made a clean grab. The jewel was now in his hands. He fluttered down to the middle of the platform where the other 4 members surrounded him.

Mighty patted him on the head. "Nice grab Charmy. That's one down, two to go."

Out of the blue, they felt something rumble beneath them. The 5 looked down, all alarmed.

Espio remained still, keeping his arms out for balance. "What was that?"

Another rumble, more violent this time, shook the platform. Vector fell on his backside. A big crack appeared in the center.

"This…isn't good…" Charmy commented, holding the emerald tight.

A rumble once more, the largest one yet. What came next took them completely by surprise…

KASHOOM!

The stone platform burst apart into six pieces as a massive all-metallic armadillo emerged from its center. The red Chaos Emerald flew from Charmy's grip and into the air. The echidna, crocodile, bee, armadillo, and chameleon were thrust into the air as well. All 5 of them kept together by holding hands, their leader Knuckles guided them safely to the nearest piece of platform. The 12 foot long beast opened its mouth and swallowed the airborne gem, then landed back down onto the surface on all fours. A loud click sounded off as six large barrels stuck out from its heavily armored back, all pointing in different directions. It gave a haunting robotic screech that echoed throughout the volcano. Its menacing red eyes glowed bright as it stared them down. The posse stared back as well.

Charmy stepped back, bumping into Mighty. "This…DEFINITELY isn't good…"

Vector continued to stare at it. "What the HECK is that!"

"Must be the Ace up their sleeve." Espio replied. "It was almost like they knew we were coming.."

"Well everyone…since it has the emerald, you all know what we have to do..."

"Thrashin' time?"

"You got it Mighty. Let's beat this thing, grab the emerald, and get the hell outta here."

Knuckles, Mighty, Espio, Vector, and Charmy readied themselves for a fight. 

_Boss: Mecha Magmadillo_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
There are six small platforms surrounding the Mecha Magmadillo. The machine happens to have six flamethrowers aimed at each of those platforms. Two of the barrels will show a slight flame, giving you a warning of which two platforms will get a fiery blast. Watch them carefully and jump to an appropriate platform to be safe. After three sets of blasts, the dillo will stand on its hind legs and open its mouth. It's about to launch a large spiked ball at your direction. Hold still. The spiked ball will go slow. As soon as it reaches you, punch it. If timed right, it will bounce back and damage the beast. It'll go back down to all fours. If timed wrong, well…you'll get hurt. They will keep coming until you get it right. After the 1st hit, the 3 wave process will repeat, but the flamethrowers will blast three platforms. The spiked ball will also launch faster. After the 2nd hit, four platforms will get burned. The spiky orb will be shot even faster. After the 3rd hit, five platforms will suffer the scorch. The deadly sphere will be at its fastest speed. After the 4th hit, all platforms except for the one you're standing on will sink. There's no where else to go now. It's gut check time. The Mecha 'dillo will stand on its hind legs once more. In quick succession, it will spit fireballs and the spiked orbs in a random pattern. Jump over the fireballs and punch the orbs. Don't get the two mixed up. After 4 more hits, this bot is permanently shut down.

The metal armadillo was unbalanced, and smoke bellowed out of several parts of its body. It fell on its back and emitted a low churning growl. The magmadillo slowly sank beneath the surface until it was no longer seen. A few moments afterwards, the red emerald bubbled back up to the surface.

Knux reached out and snagged it quickly. The gem didn't have a scratch on it whatsoever. "It's still safe…thankfully. Is everyone okay?"

Vector, Mighty, Espio, and Charmy were on their butts, panting heavily. That battle took its toll on them.

"We're…all cool." Vector replied. "No matter what the feat, the Chaotix just can't be beat!"

Knuckles tapped into his communicator. "Ksssshhh….Hey Sonic…Sonic…can you hear me? We got the red emerald. It was inside a volcano."

_"Good job Knucklehead. I knew you can do it."_

"Is everything okay up there?"

_"Yeah…we're all just fine. Nothing's happened yet."_

"What's going on Sonic? Why are you whispering?"

_"Tails, Ant, Nack, and I are hiding from Sally and Amy."_

"…I'm not even going to ask."

_"Good. You don't wanna know."_

"We're about to depart for the Mystic Caves to get the next Chaos Emerald."

_"Sure thing Rad Red. Good luck to you. We'll continue to keep an eye on things here. AHH! H…hi ladies! Nice weather we're having eh?"_

"Heh heh…busted."

_"I'll talk to you later Knux. NO! PUT THE HAMMER DOWN! OW! TAILS! WHERE'RE YOU FLYING OFF TO! OW! TAKE ME WITH YOU! NACK! STOP LAUGHING! HEY! ANTOINE! YOU SUCK UP! STOP BOWING TO HER! AHHHHH!….KSSSSSSH…."_

"…Okaaaay…"

"Everything going smooth Knuckles?" Mighty asked.

"Yeah…Sonic's just being an idiot. Nothing unusual."

The red guardian looked up toward the ceiling, where the mouth of the volcano let the sunshine beam down upon the gloomy landscape. "Charmy, can you give us all a lift?"

"Sure! You can count on me!"

Charmy beat his wings to his utmost fastest and carried his 4 pals up and out of the volcano. The sun's position told that it was high noon. Their next stop in the quest for the emeralds: Mystic Caves.

**_Next Chapter: The Revolution_**


	11. The Revolution

**Chapter 11 - The Revolution**

Tails stood by the edge of the floating island, near the Tornado 2. Sonic sat on top of the plane as the young fox looked through his binoculars. Amy stood beside him, surveying the area as well. He did a visual sweep back and forth across the sky. Tails was keeping watch of any possible threats approaching, but so far nothing.

"See anything Tails?" the hedgehog asked, looking as well.

"No…still nothing Sonic."

Amy was worried. No one could blame her though. "What if those bad men started attacking us right now? What would happen? Would we be able to handle them? I mean, you all seen what they can do…"

Rouge stepped onto the scene. "Mr. President is inside the Congregation building, contacting G.U.N. as we speak."

The pink hedgehog gave a little sigh. "…G.U.N….I guess that's a little better…"

Sonic chuckled. "Heh…G.U.N…if they're as persistent as they were when they chased me downtown, I don't think we'll have anything to worry about."

"Well…at least we'll have backup." Tails told them. He readjusted the focus on his binoculars.

The blue hedgehog leapt off the plane's wing and stretched his legs. "Whatever they got, we'll beat 'em no problem! I'll run circles around those metal heads."

"I'll do my thing in the Tornado 2. I'll blast any enemy aircraft out of the sky." 

Inside Congregation Hall, the white and green Chaos Emeralds were kept safe in a locked metal box. It sat on a table where the President, his assistant, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster were sitting at. The man was talking into his cell.

"Yes…that's right. You heard me Sergeant Joe. I want all the available latest model fighter jets on standby just in case. When I give the word, have them deployed to Angel Island on the double! You heard me. Is that understood? I don't want a repeat of the Station Square incident."

_"Yes…we understand sir. At your command. But I'm afraid our military forces suffered a severe loss in number from that very same incident. We don't even know how they'll be able to hold up."_

"I'm well aware of that Joe, but we'll need all the help we can get. Whatever aerial forces you can scrounge up, I want them ready."

_"…We won't let you down sir."_

"I certainly hope not. I'm counting on you."

The professional-looking man flipped his cell phone and leaned back against his chair. He rubbed his head and closed his eyes in thought. He hoped that not another disaster would befall them.

His assistant was writing something in her notebook, and then noticed the President in a stressful mood. "Do you need something to drink sir?"

"Yes please. Something sweet preferably."

"I'll be right back."

The blonde-haired woman excused herself and walked out of the building, then took a stroll toward Echidnapolis. Shadow stood on top of the Congregation building and watched like a hawk around the perimeter. The black hedgehog nimbly leapt from one rooftop to another across the street, keeping an eye out on the area. He turned and looked down at Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Rouge standing by the Tornado 2. Shadow smirked upon seeing his blue counterpart.

The same question has been plaguing his head for a while now. "(…I wonder what Maria would look like if she were alive today…)"

Shadow shook his head, trying to clear out his mind. "(But that's not important now…what matters is that we protect this place.)"

In the Marble Garden region, Nack was also keeping a lookout on a cliff high up, not far from the city. He was using binoculars as well. Bean and Bark were sitting down several feet away from the weasel, playing a game of Go Fish.

"Do you have a 5?" the polar bear asked.

"Go fish."

"I swear you're cheating." he grumbled.

"You're just mad cause you're losing." 

"Whatever. If those crazy punks came in full force and attacked us right now, do you think we'll win?"

"Heck if I know…but I've been making some 'extra-special' bombs just for the occasion. Hopefully they'll be of some use."

Bark picked up another card. "All I can say is, when the going gets tough, my fists are all I'll need. If you get in trouble Bean, I got your back."

"Thanks…I'll keep an eye on you as well." He arranged his cards, then turned to the alert purple weasel. "Hey Nack! Spot something yet?"

Nack donned a sly grin, still watching like a guard dog. "Heh. Nope. But how could you guys play cards at a time like this? Keep your eyes and ears sharp. Can you not imagine the hefty amount of dough we'll get if we beat them?"

"Are you STILL thinking about money?" Bean asked, not looking away from his cards.

"Bean, can I punch him? Please say that I can punch him. He's starting to get on my nerves with this money crap. You keep thinking about that during a battle, and you'll be dead…and what good is money to a weasel whose six feet under?"

"Yeah yeah…I'll keep that in mind. Since you have Bean's back, are you gonna have my back?" 

"That depends. If you keep yappin' about money, then no." 

"Do you have a 7?"

"…Yes. Lucky little…" he muttered, tossing the duck a card.

In the Mushroom Hill forest, Antoine had his arms crossed with a smug look on his face. He leaned back against the trunk of a tree, still continuing to eyeball Ray, who gazed off into the clouds with an arm around Sally. Bunnie sat down in the grass beside him, resting on his shoulder.

War was inevitable, and it seemed that everyone was on edge. As tensions grew on Angel Island, Knuckles and the Chaotix stood at the entrance of a huge cavern. Their location was on a small desolate island. Clouds quickly formed into a strange formation and blocked the sunlight above, casting an unsettling shadow over the isolated land. A qualm of uneasiness pitted the five in their stomachs. Perhaps whatever is inside the cavern is responsible…or maybe it's the cavern itself..

Vector was bobbin' his head and tappin' his foot to an upbeat tune in his headphones. It sounded like something of the rock/rap variety.

Knuckles informed his comrades. "The purple emerald is in here alright…I can still feel it, even with all of this negative energy around it."

Espio was empty-handed, but with a quick flick of the wrists, eight shurikens appeared between his fingers. "It's funny how an emerald found its way into a cave, considering it fell from the sky." 

"Perhaps someone found it before us and took it inside." 

"It's a possibility."

Charmy seemed unsure of himself. He flew up and sat on Mighty's back. "Umm…uh…you better go first, Hardback. I…I'll cover you."

"…Riiiiight…if you're afraid, tell us."

"Mighty's right. If you're scared, just come out and say it. There's no shame in admitting it." Espio said. He vanished, then reappeared right behind the bee, practically breathing down his neck. "AM I RIGHT!"

"EEEEEEP!" Charmy screamed, leaping several feet into the air. "THAT'S NOT FUNNY NINJA BOY!"

"Heh heh heh…"

"Guys, stop playing around. We have to get this emerald and move on quickly to the next one."

Vector was still movin' to the groove in his headphones, but still managed to pay attention to the conversation. "Yo! You heard the man! Let's go in, do our usual tail-kickin' thing, and look good doin' it!"

Knuckles, Charmy, Espio, Mighty, and Vector lined in their usual parade formation and marched into the spooky darkness.

_Stage 23: Mystic Caves_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
Mission: Find the purple emerald.  
_We stepped in the Mystic Caves  
Where the creepies like to bump  
The darkness and the fog  
Will make your heart thump  
But the Chaotix press on without fear  
You'd be hard pressed to see them shed a tear…_

The first thing you'll notice about the dark and eerie Mystic Caves is the thick fog. You can only see so far around you so don't do any reckless rushing or you might fall down a hole or run right into an enemy. If you choose, you can use Vector's Pump It Up special move to clear the fog temporarily. Speaking of enemies, ghosts are haunting around. If they touch you, you will be possessed. Your ring count will drain rapidly until death. Quickly find one of many rays of light shining from the ceiling, which are scattered throughout the caves. These sunlit spots will exorcise the ghost. You'll notice that the walls have holes in them. Some of them reveal beady little eyes. Huge robotic centipedes will thrust out of those holes in the walls to try and bite you. If you hit them with an uppercut right before they touch you, their heads will go high and bounce off the ceiling for some extra damage. Feel free to dig in those holes, some have items in them. The Mystic Caves are like a honeycomb of interlocking rooms. Punch through weak points in the walls to reveal pathways to other rooms. Once you get past that section, hop in and take a ride in a mine cart. Jump over holes in the track, and pay attention to signs along the way. These signs warn that the path is about to split into 2 or 3, and also which of these paths are the right way…and which paths lead to death (such as a chasm or running into a wall). A green 'O' is right, a red 'X' is wrong. Push up, left, or right when the arrows flash onscreen to pick the way. Complete the stage by reaching the purple emerald, which is at the end of the track.

Knuckles walked up to the purple jewel, which was just sitting there in the cold ground. The echidna picked up the Chaos Emerald and inspected it. "Alright…looks good to me. That's 2 down, 1 to go."

Charmy nervously looked around the murky cavern, expecting a big fight. "So…no big bad robot is gonna jump out and try to kill us?"

Espio had the same idea as well. His whole body was frozen like a statue, except for his darting eyes. "Huh…it seems that way so far. Perhaps we got lucky this time."

Vector was busy changing a CD in his walkman. "Ah…here we go…something more mellow."

Suddenly, the echidna's communicator beeped. He quickly picked it up. "Yeah…this is Knuckles…what's up?"

_"Hey Knucklehead…is everything okay? Are you still in the Mystic Caves?"_

"Yeah Sonic…we just got the purple Chaos Emerald."

_"Good…now…about that last emerald in the Centra Ocean Labyrinth…don't bother looking for it."_

"Hmm? Why?"

_"They already got it."_

"Who got it?"

_"Take a wild guess."_

"Shoot…where is it now?" 

_"According to Nicole, it's about a few miles away from Angel Island, on a ship. In fact…I'd say there is about one hundred ships surrounding the island right now. The strange thing is, they're not attacking…they're just hovering there. I don't know what they're trying to do."_

"Strange…" 

_"Well…the President has just contacted G.U.N., and they're coming to assist us. They should be here in about 20 minutes. You better come back to Angel Island as well. We'll need everyone here if those ships decide to invade."_

"Alright…we'll be right up. I'll see you there." 

With a simple button press, he turned off the communicator. 

"So what's goin' on Knux? Something bad's happening?" Mighty asked.

"Yeah…well, not yet anyway. Sonic said that those enemy ships are surrounding Angel Island as we speak." 

Vector, Mighty, Espio, and Charmy's eyes snapped open. 

"…You…You're joking…r…right?" the armadillo stammered.

"I wish I was. Don't worry. They haven't attacked though, but we should get back to home base…as in right now."

"We'll let's get movin' then!"

The crew hightailed it out of the Mystic Caves to meet with the rest of the comrades.

Back on Angel Island…

"SOUND THE ALARM!"

The emergency siren whooped loudly throughout Echidnapolis, warning everyone in the city and beyond that a threat is seriously close. From the capital to Marble Garden to Mushroom Hill and onward…humans and mobians heard the call. All were going to gather at Congregation Hall to prepare for a major conflict. 

Nack heard it, and immediately put the binoculars in his backpack. "Time to go, fellas."

"IT'S GO TIME!" the polar bear bellowed.

"Shoot…and I was just about to win again too."

Bean and Bark put their cards away and followed the weasel.

Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Rouge heard it.

"There's the siren!" the blue hedgehog said. "Let's put the pedal to the metal!"

Tails tossed his binoculars into the Tornado 2 and followed along, with Amy and Rouge right behind him.

Sally, Antoine, Rotor, Ray, and Bunnie heard it.

"It's time…" Antoine told them.

Bunnie's ears perked up at the loud wailing. She waved her hands for the others to come with her. "Let's move it y'all."

Ray grabbed Sally's hand and looked her in the eye. "Ready to go?"

"Y…yes…"

The legion of enemy ships, including the Falcon itself, still remained in the same positions, still not showing signs of aggression. This was odd. It was like they were lions waiting to pounce..

The President, the assistant, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, and Buster already stood outside Congregation Hall when the rest of the people joined up with them. A troop of 21 heavily armed G.U.N. soldiers, including the spiky black-haired 30 year-old Sergeant Joe, stood beside the man, standing in a respectful position. The murmuring and chatter continued on until the President cleared his throat into the microphone.

"AHEM…Is everyone here?"

"Now there is."

It wasn't long before Knuckles and the Chaotix joined up with the rest of the meeting.

"S'up? What's going on?" the echidna asked.

Sonic slipped him a high-five. "Meeting. Mr. Pres is about to say something."

"Nice to see you Knuckles…" The President greeted. "…and you all as well."

"AHEM…as you can see here…I've summoned the forces of G.U.N. for this possible invasion. I've got these soldiers right here for old fashioned ground-based warfare, and I've got 15 fighter jets on the airstrip about a mile from here, ready to take off and battle at my command."

"I can assist them in the air Mr. President! I'll fly in my Tornado 2. It's armed with some decent firepower." Tails announced.

"Good to hear Tails. Now, there are two emeralds inside the metal box in Congregation Hall. Whose going to be responsible in guarding them during the battle?"

"I will." Ray replied, raising his hand.

"Oh…well thank you Ray."

"No problem…though I would prefer if my old buddies Sonic and Mighty were with me in guarding them…as well as Sally."

Sally blushed again and covered part of her face. Antoine simply stuck his nose in the air. Sonic and Mighty looked at each other, then at Ray. They shrugged their shoulders as in 'Why not?'

The Pres loosened his collar. "Hmm…that's no problem I suppose. Alright. Sonic, Ray, Sally, and Mighty. You four are responsible for guarding the emeralds inside. Those gems are top priority."

Sally smiled as the three boys high-fived each other once again. "Coolness!" they exclaimed.

Rotor raised his hand and spoke up. "I have a bit of experience in the medical field. I can stay here and act as a medic. If anyone is injured, bring him or her here and I'll treat them."

"Much appreciated Rotor. That will help immensely. The rest of you…assist the G.U.N. soldiers on the battlefield. If you feel you can't fight, retreat back here. Knuckles, Espio, Vector, Sonic, Amy, Rouge, Bunnie, Antoine, Nack, Bean, Bark, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, Buster, and Shadow…I'm counting on you all. I'll be in the city taking shelter, keeping communication open with G.U.N.."

Knuckles walked up to the blue hedgehog and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey Sonic…"

He turned around. "Yeah Knuckles?"

"Here are the two emeralds I got from the volcano and the mystic caves…hold on to these for me. I don't want to risk losing them when I'm out in the thick of battle."

"Alright Rad Red…I got ya covered. Go out there and do your thing." he said. He took the gems away from him and held on to them.

"You guys better not screw up. I can't watch over all of you, you know." Shadow said to the group.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need you to watch over me." the echidna replied.

Bark tapped Bean on the shoulder. "You got those special bombs ready?" 

"Stockpiled, my friend. They'll get a bang outta this." 

The revolver's chamber clinked as Nack meticulously loaded it with rounds. "Lock and load, baby."

Antoine held the wooden sheath across his face, and slowly unsheathed the blade. "White Coyote…it's feeding time."

Espio did some last-minute sharpening of his throwing stars with an edge knife. 

Vector changed his CD to 'The Flight of the Valkyrie', an appropriate war theme. "Awww yeah…it's on now…"

"When you're done with that knife Espio, can I borrow it?" Charmy asked.

"Why?"

"I need to sharpen my stinger." 

_"MR. PRESIDENT!"_ came a loud voice from his communicator. This got everyone turning heads.

"Yes Dotson?"

_"THE SHIPS HAVE BEGUN TO MOVE! I REPEAT! THE SHIPS HAVE BEGUN TO MOVE! THEIR GENERAL DIRECTION SEEMS TO BE TOWARD THE MUSHROOM HILL PLAINS!"_

"Alright! I hear you loud and clear. Deploy the fighter jets now!" he replied.

_"YES SIR!"_

He clicked the walkie talkie off. "You guys, get inside Congregation Hall on the double! The rest of you! G.U.N. and the mobians…move to Mushroom Hill Plains and prepare to fight!" 

Sonic, Ray, Mighty, and Sally jogged inside the structure to protect the emeralds.

Sergeant Joe aimed his rocket launcher with a mischievous grin. "Ha…ready and rarin' to go."

Many clicks sounded off as Joe's human companions cocked their laser rifles.

War was about to begin. Knuckles lead the troops as they marched onward to the plains. The trees swayed in the wind, and the leaves rustled and fluttered down to the grass below. The birds chirped as if they were singing a song. Not a single cloud was in the sky. The day was beautiful, but that would quickly change.

On one side were a hundred ships, excluding the Falcon which was still awaiting in the back, touched down on the eastern region of the Mushroom Hill Plains. SWATbots stepped out of those ships. In an almost scary unison, they raised their right arm and readied their weapons. It was a perfect synchronization. The other 50 ships hovered right above their ground-based fighters, also readying their weaponry. This metal army was intimidating, to say the least.

On the other side of the battlefield was Tails in his Tornado 2, Amy, Rouge, Knuckles, Vector, Charmy, Espio, Jack, Blitzer, Sneaks, Buster, Shadow, Nack, Bean, Bark, Bunnie, Rotor, Antoine, Sergeant Joe, and 20 G.U.N. soldiers. The loud high-pitched engine roar behind them was their aerial backup of 15 fighter jets starting up.

The two opposing sides faced each other. Time seemed to have frozen in place as they traded stares. It was going to be a winner-take-all struggle. If Ranoc's forces are victorious, all seven Chaos Emeralds will be in their grasp. An outcome that Knuckles and his team cannot afford to happen.

"CHARRRRRGE!" Sergeant Joe screamed.

Bunnie raised a fist and ran along with the first line of offense. "YEEEEEE HAAAAAAAH! LET'S BUST SOME BOTS!" 

The two armies rushed into each other with a force that is unrivaled.

_Stage 24: Chaotic Warfare_ (Player: **Knuckles**)  
Mission: Defeat the SWATbot army.  
It's an all-out war between your troops and Ranoc's on the majestic Mushroom Hill Plains. Your comrades will be in action as they fight the SWATbots. See Bean throw powerful bombs, Shadow use his spin dash/homing attack, Antoine cutting the opposition down to size, G.U.N. soldiers firing their laser rifles, Bunnie punching and kicking, Espio rippin' it loose with shurikens, Vector smacking bots with his tail, Charmy stinging and rushing with a shoulder tackle, Bark street fighting, Nack firing rounds from his Revolver, Joe going nuts with his rocket launcher, Amy wail away with her hammer, Rouge nailing robots with drill kicks, Tails and the fighter jets providing the aerial assault, among others. SWATbots are going to be just as fierce of course. They'll fight back with chain guns, mini missile launchers, and grenades. If you're quick, you can catch/pick up the grenades and throw them back at the assailant. The enemy ships above will be zooming around, firing energy beams. The Tornado 2 and G.U.N.'s jets will have them in check. Wipe out the ground-based enemies using punch combinations. The firefight will be relentless, so find any kind of cover if things get too hot. Periodically, Tails will drop a shield power-up or a 100 percent Burst power-up from his plane to help you out. From time to time an emergency ring will sound. A time limit and an arrow will flash onscreen. This indicates that one of your teammates is injured. Follow the arrow to the teammate and push the B button to pick him/her up into your arms. Your running speed will decrease to a certain degree, depending on who you're carrying (just wait till you have to rescue Bark). Now carry that person to Rotor, who will be waiting on your edge of the battlefield. He'll patch the patient up and send him/her back into the fight. If you don't get to him within the set time limit, that helpless person will become unconscious…and you lose a life. Rings are scarce in this stage, so if you find yourself in the thick without any, go to Rotor. He'll toss you a ring. Just don't get shot trying to get back to him. Expect this stage to last from about 20 minutes to a half hour, depending on how good you are. Checkpoints are automatically granted every 4 minutes. This hellish stage is completed when all SWATbots are destroyed.

After the smoke and dust has settled, after it was all said and done, the Angel Island brigade seemed to have won. Nothing but scrap metal and smoke littered the battlefield. What was once a mighty SWATbot army was nothing more than a junkyard.

"Did we win?" Knuckles asked. He was panting, but still had plenty of fight left in him.

After a battle like that, everyone appeared to be spent. Over half of them were sitting down.

"WE ARE VICTORIOUS!" Tails shouted from his plane. He raised a peace sign to his friends down below.

The crowd still had spirit though, and erupted in a triumphant roar. The jets zoomed and performed a loop-de-loop in celebration.

"WHOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!"

"Excellent job everyone…G.U.N…mobians…excellent job…" The President announced. "I'm proud of you guys…"

Nack, Amy, and Rouge patted each other on the back. Bean and Bark shook hands on a job well done. Rotor was busy tending to some injured G.U.N. personnel.

"Glad that's over with…whew…" Knuckles said to himself. "I'm gonna go see how Sonic and the others fared."

The echidna jogged to Congregation Hall, anxious to tell them about their victory. The massive doors creaked as he pushed them open. Vector, Espio, and Charmy were right behind him as he entered the building. 

But not a soul was inside.

"Hey Sonic! Is everyone…what the HECK! Where did everyone go!"

Vector pointed to the empty table. "The emeralds are gone too!" 

"Great…" Knux grumbled.

Charmy cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. "SONIIIIC! RAAAAY! MIGHTYYYYY! SALLYYYYY! HELLOOOOOO!"

His voice echoed throughout the hall, but there was no answer. Bunnie and Antoine appeared and stood beside Knux and his group.

"What in the hoo-hah is going on here, sugah-dreads?"

"Stop calling me that, Bunnie. My name is Knuckles. Anyways, the four that were supposed to guard the emeralds are not here, not to mention the emeralds themselves."

Knuckles thrust his fist into the floor, peeved. "We won the war, and end up losing instead! Errrrg!"

"Huh…that's really bad…hey look there! On the floor!" Bunnie shouted, pointing to a certain device. The rabbit kneeled down and picked it up. "That's…that's…Nicole! Sally wouldn't leave this thing lying about like this…something's up…"

Antoine took Nicole from her and pushed a button. "Heh. Let's see here…let's see here… Hmm…thought so. Looks like the four emeralds are on the move. Rather quickly at that. Take a look at the radar."

Everyone grouped together and peeked at the monitor. Like the coyote said, a red, purple, white, and green blip flashed onscreen, moving at an alarming pace.

Knux stared closely. "They're moving underground…to the Hidden Palace. I don't know what the heck this is all about, but we gotta move…as in right now!"

_"MR. PRESIDENT!"_ came a voice from the suited man's communicator. _"REINFORCEMENTS ARE ON THE WAY! I REPEAT! REINFORCEMENTS ARE ON THE WAY! THEY ARE APPROACHING FAST! IT AIN'T OVER YET!"_

"You've got to be kidding me, Dotson!"

_"I wish I was, sir…"_

The President, Amy, Rouge, Tails, and Shadow rushed toward Knuckles and his camp inside the Hall.

The echidna was pushing a 10-digit password on the back wall of the stage, followed by a voice recognition test. "Knuckles."

_"Entry confirmed…Guardian."_

The unsuspecting wall slid open, revealing a small red orb sitting on a azure marble pedestal. It was a teleporter.

"What's going on here?" Shadow asked. 

"The emeralds are gone. Sonic and them are gone. According to Nicole here, those Chaos Emeralds are inside the Hidden Palace and still moving. Normally, I'd have to go all the way past Lava Reef to get there, but I'm taking the shortcut instead."

Amy ran over and picked up another device on the floor. "Oh no…it's Sonic's communicator…"

"Something funny's going on here…" Espio muttered.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news." Mr. President said. "Another wave of SWATbots are coming. It looks like this war isn't quite over yet."

Everyone suddenly became dispirited. A collective groan sounded out throughout the prestigious structure.

Vector shook his head and sighed. He couldn't believe it. "You've gotta be jerkin' my chain, man!"

"Unfortunately I'm not, Vector. Dotson reported that they are heading this way right now."

Tails rubbed his chin, pondering and thinking. "(My friends dissappear. The emeralds dissappear. Sally's and Sonic's devices are left on the floor. It sounds like a kidnapping, but there's no sign of a struggle…everything appears to be untouched…)"

Knuckles stepped inside the secret room. "Well then…looks like we'll have to split up. Some will have to stay here to fight off the next brigade of bots, and some will have to come with me to get Sonic, Mighty, Ray, Sally and those emeralds back."

Vector, Charmy, and Espio stepped forward.

"We're comin' along my man. Anywhere you go, we go." Vector said.

Tails stepped forward. "I'll go too. Sonic is my best friend. I can't stay here knowing he can be in trouble."

Shadow, Bunnie, and Antoine had volunteered as well.

"What the heck. I'll go too."

"I hope Sally-girl isn't in danger. I'll go."

"I knew I should've watched her instead of fighting out there. I have to redeem myself. I'm going too." 

"Alright then. It's settled. You seven, come with me. Mr. President…good luck with your troops. Amy, Rouge…and the rest out there…don't die on me, alright?"

"We'll do our best Knuckles. I'll regroup G.U.N. and the mobians to prepare for another assault. I wish you good luck as well. Hopefully you'll find your friends and the Chaos Emeralds. Come Amy and Rouge, let's go."

The ladies waved their goodbyes as Knux's clique stepped into the claustrophobic room. The wall closed behind them and it became dark. The echidna put his hands on the small red orb. It glowed brightly, illuminating their cramped space. Much to a few's surprise, a white veil of light enveloped their bodies. In a brilliant flash, they disappeared.

They reappeared in a grand hallway in a snap, dimly lit with torches on both sides. On the sleek blue wall was a familiar magnificent mural. The flames illuminated the Holy place before them with a soft glow. There was a huge door etched with some Echidna hieroglyphics. Behind this door is the resting place of the Master Emerald.

"This is the Hidden Palace." Knuckles informed the team. "The Holy Sanctuary of the Master Emerald. The jewel itself is behind that door. Luckily for us, it's seems to be safe."

"Hey…what's that up there?" Shadow asked, pointing to that mural. "What's that a picture of?" 

"Oh that…The image weaved on that tapestry is Eggman with the Master Emerald squaring off against Super Sonic. Heh…I remember this room all too well…"

Shadow queried once again. "Ah…now I see it. What happened here?"

"This is where me and Sonic first locked horns…and where that fat fool Eggman showed his true colors. But enough about that…Bunnie, where're the emeralds now?"

"Lessee lessee…accordin' to Nicole…it's past the Master Emerald chamber and moving down some flights of stairs…"

"LET'S MOVE!"

The eight burst into the largest room of the palace, but they didn't have time to enjoy its splendor. They ran past the giant green emerald, and hauled down the staircase.

"(I hope Sonic's okay…)" Tails thought.

"(I swear…I will have you back Princess Sally…)" Antoine thought as well.

Bunnie made another comment as they descended the floors. "The dots have…vanished sugah-Knux! The emeralds are no longer in this place."

"They must've used the…KEEP GOING COMRADES! There's another teleporter at the bottom floor. Whoever has the emeralds escaped using it."

They kept going down the spiraling steps, lined with more small torches. The eight reached another small room with a red orb on an azure marble pedestal.

"We have no time to lose. Follow my lead." the guardian said, putting his hands on the sphere. It painted the small space with a red light. He closed his eyes as the same veil of white light wrapped around them. A split second later, they were gone.

The beam of light carried them up to onto an old stone platform, floating in the air. No longer in Hidden Palace, everyone was back outside again, thousands of feet above Angel Island. The thick layer of clouds down below prevented them from seeing their planet, but there was nothing but clear blue sky above. Daunting towers surrounded them. These structures of old reached up as if searching for the heavens. An ancient city of mysterious origin suffered a tragic end of unknown circumstances.

"Where are we now?" the bee asked.

"This is Sky Sanctuary. An old, old run-down city. Bunnie, where are the emeralds now?"

"The blips are going higher and higher. They're gettin' some serious alititude, darlin'."

"Darlin? Geez…well there's no other way to go than up anyways. Vector, Antoine, Bunnie, Espio, Charmy, Shadow, and Tails…let's keep it movin'. I have a feeling that when we find the emeralds, our friends won't be too far."

_Stage 25: Sky Sanctuary_ (Player: **Knuckles**)  
Mission: Find the Chaos Emeralds.  
You'll have to be quick, master pinpoint gliding and punching as you ascend this ancient city. Race across collapsing bridges, and use fleet-footing across instantly dissipating clouds. Rocket-propelled SWATbots have managed to make their way up here, equipped with phasers. Their high-speed mobility will make them difficult to strike. There will be platforms hanging by chains, suspended over deadly spike pits. Punch the platform to get it to start swinging back and forth. Just when the platform reaches you, punch it again to get more height and speed. When it reaches sufficient momentum, hurry and jump on it to get to the other side. If you time the punches wrong, the platform will knock you back…but you won't lose rings. Every time you reach a tower, the entrance will be locked. There is a certain task that has to be performed before the path will be open. Read the sign beside the door to know what you have to do. Tasks include defeating enemies within the vicinity, finding a hidden switch, answering a few Sonic-related multiple choice questions, and digging for a key. Once you're inside a tower, use the teleporter inside to jet up a couple thousand feet to another section. In the final part of the stage, there will be very little ground to stand on. Small platforms with springs will be spread throughout the sky and nothing else. Use them to thrust up in the air. Carefully glide and maneuver through the air to the next spring. Take in the fantastic view of your scenery below while you're at it. After the springs is one last tower. Luckily, it's not locked. The ancient Echidna writing above the door translates to "Heaven". Go inside and use the teleporter to reach the roof of this tower, where the stage is complete and the emeralds are found. 

Heaven Tower was the highest point within the Earth's atmosphere. Knuckles' missing friends as well as the emeralds that he was looking for were here. But what Knuckles, Vector, Espio, Shadow, Charmy, Bunnie, Tails, and Antoine saw was quite unexpected. 

Mighty laid face down in the middle of the roof, unconscious. 

"MIGHTY!" his Chaotix friends shouted. They quickly ran over and bent down to get a better look at him.

The chameleon inspected his head for wounds. "There's a bruise on the right side of his face…"

Lo and behold, there was Ray was on the opposite side looking off into the sky, muttering something to himself. In the tall yellow-furred squirrel's left hand was the neck of an unconscious Sonic. In his right was Sally, tied and gagged. A duffel bag sat in front of his feet.

"MMMMMM!" The chipmunk/squirrel's screams muffled through the cloth around her mouth.

"RAY! What is the meaning of this! Where are the emeralds!" Knuckles shouted in anger. He jumped back to his feet and took a step forward.

Bunnie referred to the device again. "Nicole says that the emeralds are right here at this very spot."

Ray continued to look up toward the sky, intentionally ignoring the questions.

"Maybe it's in the duffel bag!" Charmy suggested.

"Ray, I want to know why you're here. I want to know why Sonic and Mighty are knocked out. I want to know why Sally is tied up. I want to know why you have the emeralds. Now turn your ass around and explain yourself." Knuckles ordered.

He didn't comply.

"TURN AROUND YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Tails' mouth hung open in disbelief, and Ray still didn't turn around.

"Good…they're coming." the squirrel muttered.

Not a moment too soon, everyone felt something vibrate beneath their feet. The rumbling got louder and louder…advancing to their position. A massive airship, The Falcon, appeared from below. Everyone except Ray stepped back cautiously at its sudden entrance. The engine's whine became quieter as it hovered before them. The ship gradually lowered to the edge of the roof and the door opened, forming a walkway from the ship. The large vessel continued to hover as none other than Ranoc, Newblood, and Scramasax stepped off and joined the party. The wolf sneered at the opposition on the other side of the roof, while the white hedgehog simply crossed his arms. The sword wielder himself stepped toward Ray.

"Heh heh heh…I'm surprised someone caught on to our little diversion." Newblood snarled.

Knux's camp became extremely wary, and with good reason.

"So…Raccoon Face, Cyber Mutt, and the White Faker show themselves…stay focused you guys." Shadow told the team.

"I see you have Sonic…" Ranoc said. "Good work. Do you have my emeralds?"

"In this bag, Sir."

The squirrel picked up his duffel bag and handed it to Ranoc. He hastily opened it up and sure enough, there were four emeralds packed inside. White, Green, Red, and Purple. Added with the Orange, Blue, and Yellow emeralds, the collection would be complete.

The armored villain patted him on the head, pleased. "Excellent Ray…you've done well, my boy." he said, then turned toward the struggling tied-up Sally. "What's with the girl?"

"This is Sally and I…really admire her. I really would like to have her with me."

A disgruntled Vector threw his headphones to the ground. "RAY! WHAT'RE YOU DOIN' MAN! THIS AIN'T COOL AT ALL! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

"I knew it!" Antoine yelled, taking his weapon out. "I knew he couldn't be trusted!" He attempted to rush toward Ray, but Bunnie held him back.

"Yer rushin' into suicide, sugah-Twan. Don't risk it."

Ranoc ignored them. "Love…tch…such a useless emotion. She is not part of the plan. Leave her behind." 

"Please, Sir…I promise she won't get in your way. I swear. If she does…you can kill me."

Both the wolf and hedgehog looked down at Sally, an upward curve appeared on their lips.

"…Fine. Just keep whatever you're planning to do with her to yourself. Alright then…now hand over Sonic."

Ray did as he was told, giving up the blue blur to Ranoc. The swordsman held the helpless hedgehog by his throat, and lifted him up in the air.

"Finally! All the pieces have finally come together…" 

"Not if I can help it!" Knuckles growled, rushing toward Ranoc with his right fist raised. Just as he was about to deliver the blow, Newblood stepped in and blocked it with a forearm.

"Out of my way, fur face!"

"Heh…you're not worthy of being in his presence."

"Newblood! Kill that echidna! Once you're through with him, exterminate the rest of the garbage." 

Tails, Bunnie, Antoine, Espio, Charmy, Vector, and Shadow stepped closer, but Knux put an arm out. "Stay back you guys. I'll take care of him on my own."

"Pretty cocky, little anteater. Mano-a-mano it is then!"

Ranoc handed the unaware Sonic and the bag of emeralds to Scramasax. "Take these onboard our ship."

"Haha…yes sir." he said, then stepped aboard the vessel.

"Newblood, I trust you to get this scum out of my hair once and for all. Do not fail me, or else!"

The enormous beast let out a booming howl, then flashed his fangs at the echidna. "Yes sire…they all are as good as dead! Hope you said your final prayers."

Knuckles put his dukes up. "Hope you plan on counting your teeth."

_Boss: Newblood_ (Player: **Knuckles**)  
Fortunately for you, Newblood isn't as tough as he was the first time. An invisible barrier will keep the two of you separated from the spectators. You can't hit him directly of course, not yet anyways. The semi-metal lupine has some familiar attacks as well as a new one in store for you. Once again you'll see him pushing buttons on his mecha claw, informing of a weapon change. You'll still have to keep running from his rapid fire pulse rifle, and watch his red robotic eye that projects a sweeping laser. When you see him jump high into the air, be prepared. Upon landing, he'll slam his palm down; causing an electric blast that will render the whole floor dangerous. Jump and glide around until the electricity dissipates. Now hurry and throw a punch at him while he's occupied. Newblood will be thrown off guard, and you'll see his claws covering his upper body, or his lower body. If he's covering his upper body, strike with a body blow. If he's covering his lower body, throw a jab or hook. Continue the punches to keep him dazed. He'll block if you hit the wrong place, or if you're too slow. You'll have to wait until the next opening. After 4 successful consecutive punches, the wolf will be knocked on his back. Jump and perform a mid-air drill claw down on Newblood to damage him. After damaging him 2 times, be especially careful when you're throwing punches. He'll counter with one of his own if you do it wrong. Hurt the beast 2 more times to defeat him.

His pride bruised, Newblood limped toward his superior with his right claw holding his abdomen tight. He was hurt. "For…forgive me sire…I…I…"

Ray's face had no emotion, and he turned away from him.

Ranoc gripped the hilt of the Black Jackal blade, and slowly slipped it out of its sheath. It shined brightly in the sunlight. "Newblood…you disappoint me. I trusted you, and once again you've shown a sad display of your incompetence."

"(Ancient runes on his sword…is he the other student Kit was talking about?)" Antoine thought to himself. 

The weakened lupine got down to one knee in front of him. It was hard to tell whether he was bowing or severely injured. He turned his head down, begging. "M…Master…please…forgive me…It won't happen again…I swear…p…please!"

Ranoc looked at his reflection in his blade. There was a face, behind a mask representing a common omnivorous animal.

"You're absolutely right Newblood…it WON'T happen again…" 

"S…SIRE!"

In an instant, he thrust the sword right through the wolf's chest, nearly paralyzing him. His body jerked from the sudden pain. His maw hung open. His pupils shrunk to tiny dots.

Sally tried to scream Lupe's message to him, but it was muffled through the gag.

With his left hand, he grabbed the helpless wolf by the scruff of his neck and pulled him closer. With his right hand, he continued to penetrate the Black Jackal further into his body, drawing out several yelps of pain. Over a foot of bloodied steel pushed out from Newblood's back.

"I have Sonic the Hedgehog. I have the seven Chaos Emeralds. Your services are no longer required."

Ranoc stood up, with the blade still inside his victim. He forced Newblood along as he walked to the edge of the roof. Ray, still with a blank look on his face, held the squirming Sally close to him as he watched the execution unfold.

The caped leader had one final word for the wolf. "Farewell."

Then, he kicked him off his sword. Newblood fell from the tower, his tormented howl faded away with him into the blanket of clouds below.

"From Heaven to Hell in one fell swoop…such a pity." he muttered, still looking down to the Earth. 

Shadow revved up toward Ranoc when he wasn't looking. "And you'll be joining him!"

The black and red hedgehog attempted a flying kick, only to be swatted away with a strong back-hand. Shadow grunted as he hit the ground face-first, hard. 

Ranoc sheathed the Black Jackal and faced Knuckles' clique, who were getting in fighting position. "Ray, get onboard with your little girlfriend. I'll take care of these impudent little fools myself."

"We're going, my future mate." Ray whispered to her. He quickly ran inside The Falcon, forcibly taking a confused, saddened, and still resistant Sally with him. She broke her promise. 

Knux, Vector, Tails, Antoine, Espio, Charmy, Bunnie, and Shadow ran forth to the lone opponent.

"Alright…here's our chance! Everyone attack at once!" the red one commanded. 

Raccoon Face just stood there, hands down by his side.

Vector rushed forth with a right punch, but Ranoc simply sidestepped and tripped him. The crocodile fell to the ground. Charmy zoomed from above for a sting, but the caped one simply ducked…then jumped a slide kick attempted by Espio. Bunnie came from the left side with a sidekick while Shadow came from the right with a shoulder tackle…lost cause. Ranoc grabbed both of their heads in midrush and knocked them together. The rabbit and hedgehog were knocked out. Raccoon Face performed a swift back kick which stopped another rush from Vector cold, he caught a 3-shuriken throw from his right side, then chucked them back at Espio, but the chameleon dodged by disappearing. He reappeared in front, but was clocked with an uppercut before he even got a chance to react. Antoine rushed underneath the airborne Espio and came on strong with a series of diagonal sword swipes, only to miss and get grabbed by the wrist. The coyote was thrown right onto the lying Espio. Charmy tried another sting to the back of the swordman's head. He ducked him yet again, and grabbed the bee out of the air. Charmy screamed in pain as both of his wings were ripped off, and then was thrown to the ground. 

"Charmy! Vector! Espio! Everyone…urggggh…."

Knuckles sped toward his left side with an intense flurry of punches. Jab, body blow, uppercut, hook, jab, hook…only to have the echidna hit nothing but air. Ranoc was deceptively fast. He countered with a straight punch, right into Rad Red's stomach. The power of the blow almost sent him flying off the roof. Knux held on to the edge, then leapt back on to solid ground. He bent over, feeling sharp pain in his abdomen.

"Uh…he's…way too strong…it's…unreal…" 

Tails stayed in the back and cowered in fear. The fox wouldn't dare come after him. He just witnessed Ranoc beat 7 other people…almost simultaneously…in less than 30 seconds…and that was without his sword.

"You are all truly weak. Will someone please give me a challenge!"

There was no answer, seeing how everyone laid on the ground either hurt or unconscious. 

"…I didn't think so."

Ranoc pushed his cape to the side as he turned around. He began to walk toward the ship, but a certain fox decided to muster up his courage. Tails went over to the kneeling Knux and bent down by his ear. He listened as the young kitsune whispered his plan to him. The fox got back to his feet, and the echidna looked up and nodded in approval.

"Ready Knuckles?"

"I'm ready. Go for it."

Tails pulled a flash bomb from his sneaker and threw it right by Ranoc's foot. Both the fox and Knux closed their eyes as a split-second burst of light hit the area, blinding the unsuspecting masked stranger. He began to flounder about, and then dropped to one knee.

"Gaaaaah! You stupid little bastards!" he yelled.

Knux began to run toward him, "Here's my chance…"

Rushing to the still blinded nemesis, the echidna threw a straight punch to his mug. It was enough to knock the raccoon mask right off his face. The wooden object clomped as it hit the floor. Ranoc fell to the ground, and rubbed his eyes to ease off the brightness. The villain stood back up and stared at Tails and Knuckles with murderous intent in his eyes. 

At long last, his face was revealed. He was a mobian.

The two-tailed fox felt his heart stop. "Y…YOU! You're…you're…" 

Knuckles shook his head, eyes glued to the now unmasked adversary in front of him. "Are you…are you…no frickin'…way…" 

**_Next Chapter: Mathias: Bringer of a New Age_**


	12. Mathias: Bringer of a New Age

**Chapter 12 - Mathias: Bringer of a New Age**

Meanwhile on the Mushroom Hill plains, the war continued between Ranoc's and Angel Island's forces. The second wave of fierce SWATbots was steadily decreasing, but the other side was not faring as well this time around. Several G.U.N. soldiers and fighter jets were downed. Bean was on the sidelines, hurt. Rotor was running back and forth, doing his damnedest in patching up the injured.

"Urrggh! Take this!" Bark yelled as he picked up a SWATbot over his head, and tossed it right into another one. Steel bodies collided and they both went crashing to the ground.

Amy swung her Piko Piko hammer around with extreme prejudice, but a laser shot struck her weapon and she was knocked off balance. She fell on her butt. "…ow!" 

Another SWATbot came up and stood behind the pink hedgehog, unknowing to her. It pointed its chain gun and was about to fire, but Rouge stopped that plan with a swift Drill Kick. The bat kicked its head clean off. Its severed noggin fell to the ground, its exposed wires spewing sparks.

She bent over and helped Amy to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…thanks Rouge. I owe ya." 

"It's nothing. Now let's get…WHOA!"

In the distance, a sudden storm of bullets from a few SWATbots had them both running in opposite directions.

Rotor was wrapping a bandage tight around Bean's left arm. A bullet had grazed it. "It'll be okay. Here. I'll carry you to Congregation Hall. You'll be safer inside."

"Eat lead ya tin cans!" Nack exclaimed with that big-toothed grin of his.

The weasel was strafing back and forth, firing round after round from his Revolver. Silver-dollar sized holes dotted one of the bipedal machines, and it spasmed with each hit. It fell on its back and no longer moved. A few more well-placed shots took out another bot's kneecap. The President was inside one of the underground shelters in Echidnapolis, keeping tabs on G.U.N..

"Joe! What's the situation?" the man called into his communicator.

_"It's looking bad sir. Several of our men, as well as jets, are down. Our offense is cut significantly. We'll need Knuckles and his gang back here quickly if we stand a chance of winning this thing! Where the hell are they anyways?!"_

"They're out finding the emeralds and their friends, remember? What they're doing is just as important, if not more, than what we're doing here!"

_"I know…I know…sorry. Couldn't you at least contact them and see how they're doing?"_

"I just did that right before I contacted you, Joe. No one's answering though."

_"Great…we're screwed."_

"Joe, just concentrate on the matter at hand. You're the leader of G.U.N.. Act like it. I'll try to contact Knuckles again."

_"Alright. G.U.N., out."_

The President pushed a button to switch frequencies. "Knuckles, can you hear me? Knuckles. This is the President. If you can answer, please do so. Anybody?"

_"KSSSSSH…"_

"Please respond. Anybody."

_"KSSSSSH…"_

"Shoot….where ARE you guys…c'mon…"

His assistant shook her head as she leaned back in a chair. "You're the President of Station Square. Act like it."

"Oh be quiet Nancy."

The small communicator sat by Knuckles' foot, alive with the President's urgent calls. The echidna still wasn't moving. He was still frozen in disbelief. Tails was just as stunned at the true identity of Ranoc. Before them stood the one responsible for the destruction of several cities around the world including Station Square, the one responsible for the well-orchestrated plan of using Ray to steal Sonic and the emeralds from right under their noses, the one responsible for single-handedly defeating 7 mobians in record time with unbelievable proficiency. The unmasked swordsman stood there before them with an evil smirk…and that evil smirk belonged to…

….

… 

Big the Cat.

Tails remained stunned at the truth. "Big…It…it can't be! I still won't believe it!"

Knuckles managed to put his thoughts into words. "Big…but…but why? H…how?!"

The armored cat crossed his arms, taking in their looks of shock as compliments. Both of his ears were tied down his back. A small ring earring was pierced on the tip of the left ear.

"Why so surprised? Oh that's right…no one would suspect that a backwater lazy fisherman with a speech impediment is capable of such a thing…am I right?"

"(His voice is different…it's…more menacing…)" Tails thought.

"Why pretend? Why are you doing this?!" the echidna asked, clenching his trembling fists. 

"I already told you. No one would suspect some simple oaf, which I might add that masquerading as one is humiliating and disgusting, absolutely degrading. I was afraid I might become stupid permanently if I pretended to be it for too long. Anyways, I've finally acquired what I've been searching for. Sonic the Hedgehog…and Scramasax…are going to help me make history!"

"Sonic and Scramasax…make…history…?" Knuckles questioned.

The two-tailed fox asked, "Scramasax…what is that white hedgehog exactly? Where did he come from?"

Big chuckled as he rubbed his chin. "He is different, yet the same as Sonic…" 

"Different, yet the same?" Knuckles quiered. "Speak English! And you still haven't answered my question!"

"If you want to know the details about Scramasax, why don't you ask Mr. True Blue himself?"

"Wha?"

"…Sonic knows him?" the fox asked with widened eyes.

Big chortled to himself, softly shaking his head at their ignorance. "You kids have no idea what goes on in your world do you? All you little fools do is live day in and day out of your insignificant lives, oblivious to the greater possibilities out there…just waiting…just waiting for you to go out and take it! At this pace, you're just being born so you can die. It's a sad state of affairs, I know. I figure it's about time I grab the world in my palm and throw it out of its hopeless infinite cycle."

Knuckles only became more confused, but still angry. "W…what the hell are you talking about?! Greater possibilities? Stop talking in riddles you stupid bastard cat!" 

Big ignored his question only to ask one of his own. "Now…let me ask you two some questions…though I have no doubt what the answers will be. First question. Have you heard of a woman named Cristine Sisytus?"

Both the fox and echidna answered at the same time. "…no."

"Have you heard of the Seven Etherals?"

"…no."

"The Forbidden Codex?" 

"…no."

"The magic city of Aliveria?" 

"…no."

"Ho ho ho…ha ha ha ha! Just as I thought. I shouldn't have expected much from you guys. Like I said…you are CLUELESS. All of these things are the keys to a New World Order."

Scramasax shouted from inside The Falcon. "BOSS! ARE WE GONNA GO OR WHAT?"

"Of course, of course…" Big pushed his cape to the side once more as he turned around. "We will meet again…if you live that long."

The daunting cat's armor clinked with each step as he moved forward onto the awaiting ship. The walkway slid up and he disappeared inside. The Falcon's engines roared louder and it ascended altitude. The ship was about to leave, but that one echidna isn't going to stand for it.

"Ohhhh…no you don't!" 

Knuckles ran as fast as he could and leapt onto the back wing of the advanced ship. He got a good grip, certain that he wasn't going to fall.

One by one…Shadow, Vector, Mighty and Espio showed some movement. They grunted in pain as they gradually came to their senses.

Tails shouted up to him. "KNUCKLES! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"TAILS! Contact the others! Tell them everything that has happened here!" he shouted back, tossing his communicator down to the young fox.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU?!" 

"Just think of me as a spy. I'll see what their true intentions are."

"But…!"

"Don't worry…as soon as I find out what they're up to, I'll glide back down to safety and meet you guys back at Angel Island."

"Hmm…okaaay…" 

The Falcon zoomed off higher into the sky with thrusters roaring at full blast. It instantly became a tiny speck in the sky and then vanished. Knuckles was gone along with them.

"(That's Knuckles for ya…doing things on his own…)" he thought.

Tails turned and ran to Shadow, who was rubbing his forehead. "Are you okay?"

"I've…been…better…ow…damn my head…that bastard will…pay for that…"

He ran to the ninja, who was bent over and nursing his chin. "Are you okay Espio?" 

"Yeah…I'm alright. I was skimping on my training lately anyways. I deserved it."

Bunnie, Antoine, and Charmy finally came to as well. The young bee cried out loud over the loss of his wings.

Vector, favoring his abdomen, gently pat him on the head. "Don't fret, Charms. They'll grow back, at least I think they will…though we definitely have bigger fish to fry." 

Tails was about to tend to the kneeling Antoine, but the coyote simply put a hand to the fox's face.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Alright…if you say so Antoine."

"How about you Bunnie? Everything A-O-K?" 

"My head's been rattled a bit, but everything's jus' peachy suga-fox."

Tails turned to his communicator. "KSSSSH… Mr. President! Are you there? Mr. President! If you're there, please answer!"

_"KSSSSH… Yes Tails. I'm here. What's the situation? Did you find the emeralds and your friends?"_

"It's all bad Mr. President. It's all bad…"

_"I was afraid of this. What happened?"_

"The masked bad guy is Big."

"BIG?!?" both the President and Tails' friends outburst.

Vector, Espio, Charmy, Bunnie, Shadow, Antoine, and Mighty were just as astonished as the President was.

"Yeah…not to mention Ray is a traitor. He was working with Big."

Mighty looked down and rubbed his face, recalling the moment Ray showed his true colors. "Oh…he'll get his…count on that…"

_"…I knew there was something about him…"_

"Also…Sonic and Sally were kidnapped…"

_"You're kidding!"_

"I don't kid, sir. Oh…and the emeralds are gone. Big and his group stole them and got away on a ship. Knuckles hitched a ride to try and find out what they're up to. He plans on coming back to the island as soon as he finds out."

_"Do you know where they're going?"_

"Not a clue."

_"Geez laweez…you got nothing but bad news Mr. Prower."_

"I told ya."

_"Well…at least there's a bit good news on our side. The war seemed to have ended in our favor. The second brigade of SWATbots is gone, and there's no sign of anymore coming. We have several casualties though; about a dozen G.U.N. soldiers and a few fighter jets were downed."_

"…"

_"Well Tails…you and your comrades should get back to Angel Island. We'll need to come up with a plan to somehow rescue Sonic and Sally, defeat the oppressors, and get those emeralds back."_

"Cool. But there's some more details I need to tell you, particularly about what Big said."

_"Is that so?"_

"I'll wait until we get back to Angel Island. I think it's something that everyone will need to hear."

The orange kitsune and his band hightailed it out of Heaven Tower to return to the floating island. The highest point within the Earth's atmosphere would now forever be known in infamy.

Outside in the Mushroom Hill Plains, you couldn't tell that it was once a lush beautiful sight of nature. Heaps of scrap metal and smoke plague the rolling hills. What once was life is now littered with mechanized death. Blood, sweat, and tears were poured out of both species fighting together for the cause. War is Hell, and thankfully Hell is over…for now at least.

Back inside Congregation Hall, Nack, Bark, a bandaged Bean, the Sandblast City crew, the President, his assistant, Shadow, Tails, the Chaotix, Rouge, Amy, Antoine, Bunnie, Rotor, Sargeant Joe, the remaining 7 G.U.N. fighters, and Chief Mittens sat around a large table in the center of the spacious room.

The Pres stood up from his chair. "First…I would to like to say congratulations on winning the war. I know it's been rough, all of you have been through hell and back, but you have my sincerest gratitude. We wouldn't even be standing here if it wasn't for the bravery and hard work of you all. My utmost respect goes to all those who have fallen in battle. Now…let's have…a moment of silence for them…" 

Everyone turned their heads down and closed their eyes. Complete tranquility. Respect for the fallen. A single tear fell from Sargeant Joe's eye.

"Thank you…and now Tails, please stand up and report what happened on top of Heaven Tower."

The little genius got to his feet and cleared his throat. "A..ahem! Hello. Nothing but bad things I'm afraid. A lotta things happened. It turns out that Big is the one behind the raccoon mask, Ray is a traitor, Sonic and Sally are kidnapped, and they got away with the seven Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles went on his own to see what Big's plans are."

The Sandblast clique and Mittens looked at each other in disbelief. They began to discuss something in a distressing manner. Loud chatter erupted among Joe and G.U.N..

"Big…" the President said to himself. "So he's the one who's behind all of this…he was such a laid-back not-a-care-in-the-world kind of guy…what could possibly possess him to do such a thing?"

"Just what is the fat cat plannin?" Vector asked Espio.

"Actually…he wasn't really fat from what I've seen. His armor suit gave him a more slender appearance."

Charmy added in. "Yeah…and he sure didn't fight like a fat cat either."

"Don't remind me…" Shadow told him.

"Perhaps this big cat fella lost some weight?" Bunnie asked.

Antoine leaned back in his chair, one eye open. "Tch…don't be stupid Bunnie." 

"Oh hush Twan. You got yer lickins jus' like the rest of us."

The fox cleared his throat again to grab everyone's attention. "AHEM! Hello again. There's some more information that I feel is worth mentioning. Whether this is crucial or not, I don't know. Nontheless, what Big said was very questionable…and very odd. He mentioned a woman named Cristine Sisytus (pronounced "sis-sai-stis"). Have any of you heard of this person?"

Looks of confusion stuck on just about everyone's faces.

"He mentioned the Seven Etherals. Anyone?"

More confusion. 

"He also said the Forbidden Codex."

Even more mind boggling.

"And the magic city of Aliveria."

Yep, they're clueless.

"I know, I know…weird huh? Big said that all of those things are the keys to a New World Order."

The crocodile cocked his head to the side, with a half-dazed appearance on his mug. "Yo T-dawg…slow it down will ya? What the heck does this all mean anyways?"

"What makes you think I know…err…V-dawg? Anyways, about that white hedgehog, Scramasax. Ya know, one of the main baddies. According to Big, Sonic knows him." 

"Sonic knows that white faker?" Shadow asked. "I really hope Big is just blowing smoke."

"We'll know in due time Shadow." Rouge added.

Mr. President proped his head on his elbow, absorbing all this new information being thrown at him. "(This is just…wow…and we don't even know where their location is…and they got the emeralds…and…sigh…)

The middle-aged man suddenly had an idea. "(Wait a minute…emeralds…location…) Hey Bunnie!"

"Yes darlin'?"

"You still have Nicole, right?"

"I sure do!"

"Track the locations of the Chaos Emeralds." 

"You betcha Mr. Man! Nicole, show the location of the emeralds."

With a flip and a click, the mini device went to work. Within a minute, the colored blips respenting the powerful gems appeared onscreen.

"CHAOS EMERALDS ARE LOCATED INSIDE AN AIRBORNE VESSEL, CURRENTLY IN OUTER SPACE AND APPROACHING A LARGE SPACE-STATION TYPE STRUCTURE."

"ARK!!" Tails blurted. 

Congregation Hall became alive with this very distinct possibility.

The black and red hedgehog nearly jumped out of his chair. "Ark…Maria…what the hell…are they planning to do…?!"

Amy sighed a deep sigh, fearful for her hero. 

"Outer space…that definitely means more money for us then!"

Bark cracked his knuckles. "May I, Bean?"

"You have my permission."

The polar bear punched the weasel right across his cheek, knocking him out of his seat.

"OOF! You sonuva bitch! Why'd you do that for?!"

"Sorry. There was a fly on your face."

"Oh really? C'mere Bark…I think I see a mosquito on your teeth!"

"Space…huh…" The President muttered. "Looks like we'll have to use the…ATTENTION EVERYONE!"

It instantly became quiet as attention was paid.

"If Ark is where they're going, then we have a means of transportation back in the Station Square Military Grounds. It's never been used before, but I'm confident it'll get the job done. I'll have some helicopters pick us up at the Angel Island airstrip."

He flipped the cell, made the call, and everyone would soon be on their way.

By climbing through the emergency hatch, Knuckles managed to find a way to get inside The Falcon without a hitch. He was at the bottom of three floors. The third is the location of the cockpit. The echidna took a careful look at his surroundings, which were dimly lit and the machinery loudly hummed above. A long narrow hallway lied ahead of him. He ran along, and then stopped at the turn up ahead. He carefully peeked around the corner. Security was on the prowl.

"Damn…looks like I'll have to work my way to the top floor before even getting close to them."

_Stage 26: The Falcon_ (Player: **Knuckles**)  
Mission: Get to the 3rd floor.  
Knuckles is a loner in this Chapter's only stage. Just like The Wyvern, automated security is in full effect. Keep your eyes and ears peeled as you navigate through the maze of narrow hallways. Floating metal orbs will travel back and forth along designated paths, firing lasers upon detecting you. You can try and avoid the orbs altogether, or scrap them with a well placed rising uppercut. At certain points in the maze, steel grates will slide up in front of you, blocking your path. These grates will be laced on and off with electricity at set intervals. Time your punches so that you'll hit the grates without being electrocuted. You'll knock it down after several successful hits. At the end of the maze is a ladder leading up to the second floor. Here, there will be one long narrow snaking hallway. Problem is, you can't simply walk through it. The floor is nothing but spikes. Climb along either wall and go down the hall. Unfortunately, the walls aren't completely safe either. Every thirty seconds, one of the walls will be a quick shocking experience. Look for the warning flash and glide to the opposite wall to avoid it. As you make your way further down the hall, make sure to hit every switch you come across. Climb over a switch and press B to pull it. Pulling all switches will open the main door leading to the 3rd floor at the end of the hall. Don't miss one, because backtracking is not fun. Complete the stage by passing through the door.

Knuckles looked around to make sure he wasn't spotted, and crept slowly toward the Control Room. Like Tails, he jumped into a nearby air duct and crawled through the tight corridor. He kept crawling until he got to a small opening. This would be the perfect spot to eavesdrop on the goings-on of Big, Scramasax, and the badger in the lab coat. Ray, Sonic, and Sally were nowhere to be seen in the room. Knuckles crept down low and listened in. He could see out the front window. They were in space. 

"(Space?! Crap…so much for 'gliding down to safety'. Looks like I'll be stuck with these goons for a while.)"

The armored Big sat in the chair in his usual relaxed position, with the sword within arm's reach. The white hedgehog and the badger stood before their leader, about to finish the current conversation. 

_"…fallen to 98 Master Mathias." _

"Sigh…Scramasax…you sure picked a fine time to become unstable."

"S...sorry boss. You know I can't h…help it."

"Fine then. Inject him once more. I want that hedgehog ready to go by the time we arrive at Neo Ark."

"As you wish Master."

Knuckles leaned over to get a glimpse of the scientist and hedgehog leaving the room.__

"A.I. Give me the approximate time until arrival at Neo Ark."

"10 MINUTES."

"Good. Despite a few very annoying obstacles, everything is still going as planned."

The red guardian began to mutter. "…Mathias? Is that his real name? And Neo Ark? What the heck is going on here?"

"Heh. I know what's going on here."

"!"

Knuckles quickly looked behind him, only to get shot right between the eyes with a tranquilizer dart. The echidna instantly fell and laid motionless. Ray smiled as he twirled the gun around his finger. The squirrel crawled forth and grabbed him out of the duct.

"I have a stowaway, Mathias." announced the yellow-furred traitor as he stepped into the control room. He carried Knuckles over his shoulder. 

The cat raised an eyebrow. "Oh? It's the echidna. Put him in the confinement chamber. I'll think of something for him later." 

"As you command."

The helpless echidna was carried again out of the cockpit, and down the hall. Ray made a right at an intersection. There were 3 cells with pulse lasers for bars. The squirrel pushed a button on the wall panel and the lasers on the furthest right cell disappeared. Knuckles was thrown like a rag doll into the empty chamber. Ray pushed it again and the pulse lasers appeared once more, trapping Rad Red inside.

"You should've stayed out of his way, Knuckles."

Back in the Control Room… 

"APPROACHING NEO ARK."

"Excellent."

The Falcon continued to soar through space, and into Big's stronghold… 

Neo Ark was a structure far different from the original Ark. Since Robotnik's demise, Big took it upon himself to mold it in the way he deemed fitting. It was redesigned from the floor up, with the help of his legion of mechanized minions. Neo Ark was a hexagon, with Slave towers situated at each corner, surrounding the gargantuan Master tower. This tower sat in the center of the hexagon, being supplied with the power coming from the six Slave sections.

"A.I. Deactivate Master Entry Barrier."

"MASTER ENTRY BARRIER DEACTIVATED."

On top of the Master Tower, the plasma barrier dissipated. It allowed entry for The Falcon to enter the small tunnel which leads to the inside. The autopilot made moving the ship through the winding passage effortless.

"MASTER ENTRY BARRIER ACTIVATED."

The enemy transport's engines gradually quieted down as it touched down to the cold steel floor of the Neo Ark hangar. Big stepped out carrying the unaware Sonic over his left shoulder. The duffel bag of emeralds was held tightly in his right hand. Ray wasn't too far behind with the muffling Sally on his shoulder. Scramasax and the badger were the last in line. Knuckles was still left inside the cell.

In the Station Square military hangar, the President lead the way as the Angel Island brigade followed closely behind. Normally the overwhelming location would be lined with numerous fighting jets and tanks, but everyone knew what has become of them.

Scientists toiled with their work, but nodded in respect as they walked by.

"Mr. President…"

"Mr. President sir…"

"Good to see you sir…"

He nodded back. "Nice to see you all as well. Keep up the good work everyone. Is it ready?"

"And rarin' to go. It just needs your approval."

The mobians stood by and waited for the man to unveil the fruits of the tireless research conducted by his hired top weapon scientists. He stood in front of a huge door made from titanium alloy. A small panel sat on the wall.

He pushed the 16 digit password followed by the fingerprint and voice recognition test. "Mr. President."

"ENTRY CONFIRMED. PLEASE STAND CLEAR AS SECURITY DOOR OPENS."

The lights flashed and sirens whooped. The seemingly impenetrable door slid open easily, revealing their main mode of transportation into space. There was an awesome ship, similar in design to a Stealth Bomber, except it was all in white. Two large ion laser cannons were mounted below the cockpit, and two more on each wing in case of unwanted resistance. Four easily adjustable ion-powered thrusters were placed in the back, and two more were below. An image of a blue fox's head wearing a space helmet was painted on the roof of the ship.

"I present to you…The Space Fox!"

Jaws hung open. They were no doubt in awe of their space ride.

An excited Tails raised up a pinky, index finger, and thumb. "Rockin'!" 

"Sweet ride ya got there m'man." Vector said.

Nack liked it as well. "Niiiiiiice…"

The suited leader of Station Square pushed a button on a remote. The Space Fox's entry door opened and formed a walkway in one smooth motion.

Mighty pointed to that walkway. "Now that's style."

"Isn't it? The Space Fox was designed to be a jack of all trades. Interstellar travel, excellent offensive and defensive capabilities, speeds up to Mach 3, state-of-the-art navigational system, sleek aerodynamic design…and so much more… It took 5 years from blueprint to final product."

"How much did THAT cost you?" Espio asked.

"About 170 million."

"…" 

The two-tailed kid felt his heart pump with excitement.

"So Tails…I hear you're an excellent pilot. Would you be willing to pilot the Space Fox?"

"WO…WOULD I?! I thought you would never ask!!"

Miles quickly ran forward, and waved the rest to come along. "What're we waitin' for? Let's get in! Let's get in!"

"Whoaaah! Wait for us Tails!" Amy shouted. 

Bark laughed. "Haha…gotta admire the kid's spirit." 

The Sandblast crew, Chief Mittens, the President, his assistant, and G.U.N. looked at each other and grinned. They had decided to stay behind.

There were two seats at the front for the pilot and passenger. Tails took the Captain's seat, and Shadow leapt in the seat beside him. There were 3 rows of 4 seats behind them. The Chaotix occupied the front row. Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, and Rouge filled up the row behind them. In the last row were Bark, Nack, Bean, and Amy. The crocodile put a techno CD in his walkman. His tail and head were bobbin' in sync.

The President stepped inside and turned toward the center row. "Err…Rouge?"

"Yes?" 

"Sorry to spoil your fun, but I need you to stay here with me."

"Is there a problem?"

"No. You're my hired hand remember? Besides, we'll need your help in the rebuilding of Station Square."

"Rebuilding Station Square…okay."

The bat waved to everyone before leaving the ship. "Come back alive! Good luck!"

"See ya Rouge!" 

"Yeah…see ya!"

Miles' intellect and mechanically-inclined mind helped him get instantly accustomed to the controls. "Hmm…this is accelerate…decelerate…turbo boost…navi map…start up…energy shield…huh…I think I got this…computer! Give me the location of Ark."

A 10 inch plasma monitor above Tails and Shadow flashed on. "SEARCHING….SEARCHING…COMPLETE. ARK'S LOCATION IS DISPLAYED ON MAP."

"Thank you much! Alright…"

The man pushed another button and the roof above them parted, casting down sunlight on the smooth white ship. 

"Tails…Shadow…Bark…Bean…Nack…Vector…Antoine…Charmy…Mighty…Bunnie…Espio…Amy…Rotor…this may be the final battle. With all the emeralds in their possession and the fact they are heading for ARK could mean the end of the world. I hope that the Space Fox will aid you greatly in your fight to bring these traitors down."

Antoine and Bunnie replied back.

"Well be back…and we'll be victorious." 

"Nothin's gonna stop us now!"

"When the going gets rough, the Chaotix will hang tough!" Mighty yelled.

"HEY! Don't steal my rhyme schemes!"

Espio couldn't resist. "When it comes to a fight, the Chaotix bring it with all their might!"

"AW MAN!! Stop bitin' my style!"

Bean put a hand on his forehead. "Oh brother…"

Everyone onboard buckled up and settled in, including Miles. Their faces cast in determination. There was no turning back now. They couldn't. A switch was pulled and the floor began to rise, bringing their fine transportation above ground level. It was go time. The pilot started up the engine, and the vessel came to life with the best technology Earth had to offer. Flipping a lever, the Space Fox hovered several feet in the air. The grass below sashayed wildly by the intense wind created.

"Hang on everyone! 3! 2! 1! GOOOOOOOO!"

The thrusters glowed a hot blue, the ship hovered even higher, and they blasted off toward the clouds. The humans down below continued to wave to them until they were no longer in sight. The mobians of Earth have embarked on an unforgettable journey, a journey that will change their lives forever.

Approaching the stratosphere, Shadow noticed Tails with a concerned look on his face. The kitsune sighed to himself, prompting the black/red hedgehog to show some concern. 

"You all right?" he asked.

"Well…not really…to tell you truth…I'm kinda scared."

"Well…you shouldn't be. We're all here with you, and we won't back down without a fight."

"I…I just wish it was the simpler times when it was just Robotnik. Sonic and I would just go right up to the doc and beat him. This time…it's…it's so…complicated…" 

"Complicated…?"

"Yeah. I mean…why did Big and Ray betray us? What is he planning to do with Sonic and the Chaos Emeralds? How did he get control of all those SWATbots? Not to mention this 'Crisis Project', 'Cristine Sisytus', 'The Seven Etherals', 'The Magic City of Aliveria', 'The Forbidden Codex'…and then there's the fact that he said Sonic knows Scramasax…yet Sonic acts like he doesn't. There's also Knuckles…who could be already dead as far as I know…It's…it's just…oh I don't know…it's just…gah…"

"Don't worry about all that. I'm sure our pals will be just fine. Think positive. Just think of the one main objective at hand. Beat the holy crap outta Big, Scramasax, and Ray. It's that simple."

"I wish it was that simple…but I know it won't be."

Bark came up from behind and gave Tails a noogie. "Now now…Shadow's right. Kick ass first. Ask questions later."

Rotor patted the little kitsune pilot on the head. "No matter what happens. We got each other's back."

"Thanks you guys. I just can't help but feel…that…maybe…we're dealing with something too big for us. Something that we're not meant to comprehend..."

**End Knuckles' scenario.**


	13. Origins

_Begin Final Story._

**Chapter 13 - Origins**

_12,000 years ago…_

A certain period after a disastrous comet wiped out the dinosaurs from existence, and several millennia before the human civilization of today…there was another race…a race of winged seraphic beings. Angels. These creatures originated from an unknown time and place. No one had known where they had come from. Unlike humans, they possessed great intellect and magic. They used their abilities to create a civilization that sat among the Heavens, high above the desolate Earth. This futuristic city was quite ahead of its time, even now. 

This is the magic city of Aliveria.

Shimmering skyscrapers seemed to reach up for miles, airborne automations roamed around the structures in an orderly fashion, machines as far as the eye can see. Natural greenery such as trees and shrubs were carefully integrated within the metropolis. Aliveria was a unique combination of technology, magic and nature.

In the center of Aliveria was the tallest building, The Royal Capital, where the Ruler and his subordinates uphold and create the laws that govern the everyday lives of the inhabitants. The Ruler possessed power beyond imagination. The magnitude of his power simply dwarfed everyone else's, thanks to a certain object which was heavily guarded within the capital's chambers… Penalties were harsh if the laws were broken. A sentence to death was not uncommon.

Every Angel is born with pure white wings and matures just like a human would. As the Angel increases in age, its wings and innate power grow. As the Angels increase in numbers, the city of Aliveria flourishes. Unfortunately, an unexpected break in the Aliverian lineage has occurred on one fateful day.

There was a girl. The most beautiful girl you would ever see. She had a pure face; soft skin with a touch of peach, long silk blonde hair gleamed in the sunlight and wafted gently in the wind. Her deep azure eyes would have you entranced before you realized it. As gorgeous as this young lady may be, she had a glaring setback that disgusted the Aliverians…

She didn't have wings, nor magic power. She was born without them. One could say this young woman wasn't a true angel. Her father left after learning about her inferiority. Her mother died shortly after child birth. News spread throughout the city about her arrival into the world. She was immediately branded as 'filthy' and 'cursed', not worthy of living among the Aliverians. With no parents or family to take care of her, it would seem she would be left for dead. Through the mercy of an elderly Angel woman, the girl was taken into her home and care.

As the girl grew up, she endured torment and ridicule from the Aliverians. Whenever she went out into public, she was treated like dirt. She was bombarded with trash, spat on, snubbed, physically and verbally assaulted. No one seemed to have an ounce of respect for her. No friends, no family, different from everyone else. Even the Ruler turned a blind eye to her suffering. At the age of twelve, her old caretaker passed away. She was all alone again, her heart boiling in despair and unbridled hate that accumulated over her childhood. It would only get worse from here on out. She had to scurry around the city as an outcast, living off scraps and constantly hiding out of society's discriminating eye. 

At the age of eighteen, she couldn't take it anymore. Things didn't change. Still disrespected, still living an insignificant life, still alone in the world. It was time for a change. It was time for the easy way out. As the sun began to set one late afternoon, the young woman decided to go for a walk, a walk to the outskirts of the floating city. Suicide seemed so simple.

She looked down to the rolling clouds below, tears welling up in her eyes. She was only a few feet away from the edge, a few feet away from having eternal rest.

The young lass took the first of five steps forward. "I…I can't take this anymore…"

The second step… "If no one…if no one can accept for who I am…not even my father…"

The third step… "If…if I'm nothing but trash to these Aliverians…"

The fourth… "If I had the power…if I had the power…I'd slaughter every single one of them…relish in their suffering…"

The final step… "…but in the end, I'm just worthless…always have…always will be…Goodbye…you won't have me to taint your OH-so-perfect existence..."

With that last word she fell forward, prepared to leave this mortal coil…but someone just wouldn't have it. Someone felt that this girl was worth it to him. The 18 year old female felt a warm paw hold her right shoulder tight, preventing her fall. Startled yet pleasantly surprised, she turned around and looked up at her savior…

Tails had his hands firmly on the control wheel, keeping a steady course toward their destination. The Space Fox continued to blast forth at incredible speed, leaving the Earth's atmosphere and entering space. It wouldn't be much longer until they reach Big's fortress, Neo Ark.

"Computer, give me an estimate time of arrival to Ark." the fox ordered. 

"APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES."

Shadow became increasingly anxious, sitting up in his seat. "Good. It won't be long now."

In the front row, Vector, Espio, Charmy, and Mighty were too busy playing a tournament of Rock, Paper, Scissors to notice what was going on. The bee and the armadillo were watching the crocodile and chameleon put their hands down.

"HA! Got ya Espy! Paper beats rock!" he laughed.

"Tch…don't be so proud. This game is one hundred percent pure luck."

"Don't be such a sore loser! Awright, now let's watch Charms and Hardback battle. I play the winner."

Vector and Espio moved aside as Charmy and Mighty faced each other.

Antoine hissed as he shook his head, watching them from two rows back. His hand alternated in tightening and loosening the grip on his White Coyote blade. "What a bunch of idiots, playing around at a time like this."

Bunnie turned to her old flame, with a look of trouble on her face. "Antoine…are you okay?"

"…Yeah. Why the hell do you ask?" he replied, not even looking at her.

"(sigh…..) Never mind."

Rotor glanced at Antoine out of the corner of his eye, but didn't bother to say anything. In the middle row, Amy looked out the window of the space craft, staring into the endless star-filled abyss of space. She longed for her true blue idol. "I hope he's alright…"

A voice came from behind Amy. "Don't ya worry young lady. With me on the team, we'll have no problem beating the snot outta those punks and rescuing our friends." 

"Hmm…?" she muttered, then quickly turned around. "Oh…hi Bark. Thanks for the encouragement. I would just DIE if something ever happened to my little Sonic..."

The polar bear stretched himself out and straightened up his red snowcap. "Just sit tight and leave everything to us!"

"THERE'S ARK EVERYONE…WHOA! WHAT THE HECK?!" Tails announced, nearly leaping out of his seat. "I don't remember Ark looking like THIS!?" 

All of the Space Fox's passengers sprung out of their positions as well to get a better look. The Captain's Quarters were crammed with mobians trying to get a peek. The general look on their faces was pretty much the same. Shock. The hexagonal shaped space station with six small towers at each corner with a central tower in the center was quite a departure from the Gerald Robotnik's Ark of years ago. The massive structure became larger and more intimidating as their ship neared it.

"Damn…looks like we have our work cut out for us." Nack commented.

"I'll say…" Bean agreed.

Suddenly the console emitted an emergency signal, alerting everyone onboard. "BEEP BEEP UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT APPROACHING. BEEP BEEP UNIDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT APPROACHING." 

"Heh…should've known…getting to Ark wouldn't be a cakewalk." Shadow smirked.

Neo Ark Fighter Jets, silver and black in color and 3 wings on each side, came out of the woodwork…One after another after another, not wasting any time going toward the Space Fox's position. It was about 100 strong. The two-tailed fox swallowed a lump in his throat, and then quickly got into focus. No time to be scared now.

"Everyone…buckle up. Now." Tails commanded.

The crew scrambled back to their original seats and snapped in their seat belts. The fox looked at the console and pushed a yellow button to the right of the wheel. "Is the weapons system ready?"

"ION LASER CANNONS 100 PERCENT FUNCTIONAL. ENERGY SHIELD 100 PERCENT FUNCTIONAL. SPEED THRUSTERS 100 PERCENT FUNCTIONAL. SYSTEMS OK."

"Alright. Everyone hold on to your butts! This…might be a bit of a bumpy ride."

"Don't screw up." the black/red hedgehog told him.

"Relax Shadow. When it comes to piloting, I'm untouchable."

"I certainly hope so foxboy."

The fate of the mobians was in Tails' hands now. Neo Ark's enemy ships zoomed in and began to open fire.

_Stage A: The Space Foxtrot_ (Player: **Tails**)  
Mission: Destroy all 100 enemy ships.  
Pilot the Space Fox in a knockdown drag out space battle. Hopefully you've got the hang of piloting the Tornado 2 and The Freedom Stormer, since this ship is operated in about the same way. Enemy spacecraft will come at you hard and fast in different formations, but you should have enough to deal with them. They'll come at you from any direction, firing energy shots and beams. Radar will display their current positions. Use the analog stick to control the direction of the ship. This is a free-roaming stage, meaning you can go anywhere within the battlefield. If you reach the edge, you'll automatically turn around into the fray. In addition to a normal life meter, there's also a 'weapons meter'. Anytime you use any of the offensive or defensive weaponry of the Space Fox, the 'weapons meter' will steadily decrease. Not pressing anything will quickly recharge the meter to full. If it becomes empty, your ship will overheat and you'll lose control of all functions for several seconds. You'll have to maintain a balance or be a sitting duck. Press the R button for a temporary speed boost. This is useful if you got an enemy on your tail, it'll shake 'em off. Rapidly push the A button to fire the ion cannons. Hold the A button to lock onto targets (up to 6) and release to unleash homing laser shots. Hold the Y button for 5 seconds to fully charge up the cannons, let go of it to fire powerful concentrated energy beams. Hold the L button to activate the plasma shield. As long as the button is held, the shield remains and all enemy fire is blocked. The downside is that you can't fire any weapons, nor speed boost while it's up. As usual if your ship takes too many hits, it'll explode. Complete the stage by thrashing all 100 enemy ships. 

Thanks to Tails' expert flying skills, Neo Ark's fierce offensive was a thing of the past. The Space Fox proceeded on forth to their objective. Their ship was but a mere speck compared to the gargantuan fortress.

The fox turned around to the back toward his crew, checking on their condition. "Everyone back there all right?"

"That was one hell of a ride, but I'm fine." Mighty replied.

Charmy put his arms out in front and looked at them. He was shaking. "I…I…I…I…I…"

"He's fine." Vector interrupted. "And so am I."

"Whooooowee! We were shakin', rattlin', and rollin', but I think we're all jus' fine suga-Tails."

"Bean, Bark, and I are alright." Nack informed.

Rotor went to the Captain's Quarters to pick up his baseball cap. It somehow landed on the floor. "As you can see Tails, I'm still standing."

The rest of the gang seemed to be intact, and Tails continued to navigate the Space Fox into enemy territory. He steered the ship with careful precision and descended. It landed down into what appeared to be a hangar just big enough for the vessel. Their current location was just a few hundred feet away from the northwest tower. At last, the mobians have arrived at Neo Ark. It might have been easy thus far, but getting to Big himself would be a whole different story.

"We're here. At Ark." Tails said.

Inside the hangar was rather dark, with lights sparingly dotting the empty room. A faint, faint sound of machinery churned about. One by one, the crew stepped off from the ship and gathered in a group. Tails, Shadow, Vector, Charmy, Mighty, Espio, Nack, Bark, Bean, Antoine, Bunnie, Rotor, and Amy gathered and sat down in a circle. It was time for a game plan.

Tails looked across the circle of comrades. "Well…first things first…Bunnie, have Nicole scan this location."

"Sure thing muffin. Nicole, gimme any information you can on this place." 

"SCANNING STRUCTURE…10 percent….20 percent…30 percent…50 percent…70 percent….90 percent…100 percent…SCANNING COMPLETED. THIS STRUCTURE IS KNOWN AS NEO ARK." 

"Neo Ark…" came several intrigued voices in the circle. 

"NEO ARK IS A HEXAGON-SHAPED SPACE STATION, WITH SIX SLAVE TOWERS PLACED AT ALL CORNERS OF THE HEXAGON. IN THE CENTER IS A MASTER TOWER, PROTECTED BY AN ENERGY BARRIER. ENTRY IS IMPOSSIBLE AS LONG AS THE BARRIER IS OPERATIONAL."

Antoine scratched his nose, taking in the new info. "So…The Master Tower is protected by a barrier…that must be where Big and his lackeys are at. I can't wait to slice them up."

"Nicole, is there a way to destroy the barrier?" Espio asked.

"THE BARRIER IS POWERED BY SIX GENERATORS. DESTROY ALL SIX TO DEACTIVATE IT." 

"Let me guess…" Rotor pondered. "…the six towers have the generators inside of them."

"NOT EXACTLY ROTOR. NEO ARK IS DIVIDED INTO SIX SECTIONS CALLED 'SECTORS'. THEY ARE LETTERED 'A' THROUGH 'F'. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN SECTOR A, AND THE LETTERS CONTINUE CLOCKWISE. IN THE CENTER OF NEO ARK IS THE MASTER TOWER. INSIDE EACH SECTOR IS A SLAVE TOWER, MENTIONED EARLIER. NOT ALL GENERATORS WILL BE LOCATED IN THE SAME PLACE IN EACH SECTOR." 

"Boy…this is confusing…" Bark mumbled.

"What's the point of the towers then?" Nack asked.

"EACH TOWER CONTAINS A FACTORY. WEAPONS SUCH AS SWATBOTS ARE CREATED INSIDE THOSE FACTORIES."

"Ohhh…"

"(So that's where the SWATbots come from…)" Shadow thought.

"Can you tell us where the generators are located in each sector then?" 

"SCANNING…30 percent…50 percent…75 percent…100 percent…..COMPLETED. SECTOR A'S GENERATOR IS LOCATED AT THE TOP OF ITS SLAVE TOWER. SECTOR B'S GENERATOR IS INSIDE THE SLAVE TOWER FACTORY ITSELF. SECTOR C'S GENERATOR IS A FEW THOUSAND FEET BELOW ITS TOWER. SECTOR D'S IS WITHIN ITS SOUTHERN OUTER WALL, SECTOR E'S IS HALFWAY BETWEEN ITS TOWER AND THE SOUTHWEST OUTER WALL, AND SECTOR F'S IS INSIDE ITS SLAVE TOWER, 1000 FEET ABOVE THE ENTRANCE." 

"Niiiice work Nicole darlin'."

"Thanks Nicole…we would be lost without you. But another question…how do we move to other sectors without being spotted? I'm sure more reinforcements will be after us if we kept hopping around out in our ship from one sector to another."

"NOT TO WORRY. TRANSPORT TRAINS SPEED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE SECTORS VIA TUNNELS, CARRYING SUPPLIES. JUST HOP ON IN STEALTH FOR FAST, SAFER TRAVEL."

The kitsune sighed, his twin tails swishing back and forth. "But still…at this rate, Sonic, Sally, and everyone will be……well I don't even want to think about it. We'll have to split up and tackle these generators. It'll be much faster that way. Everyone, come closer to me. Here's the strategy."

The circle became smaller as the mobians scooted closer to Miles' position, giving him their full attention.

"Alright…here's how we'll do this. Right now we're in Sector A. Shadow, this is where you come in."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"You go to the slave tower in this sector and nail the generator at the top."

"Alright. Gotcha."

"Antoine and Bunnie, you two take the transport train east and get off at Sector B." 

"Heh. It'll be a piece of cake."

"You kin count on us!"

"Nack, Bean, and Bark, you will get on the same train as Antoine and Bunnie, except you will get off at Sector C instead."

The weasel, duck, and polar bear readied their weapons and fists.

"Consider it done." Bark replied, confident.

Tails pointed a thumb to his head. "I, myself, will go on the same train as you five. I will ride it to Sector D and take care of business there."

The fox then pointed to the armadillo and young bee. "Mighty and Charmy, you two will ride a transport train west past F to Sector E."

"We're on it." the hardback replied. "Don't worry Charmy, I got you covered."

"Th…thanks Mighty."

"Last but not least, Vector and Espio, get on the train with Mighty and Charmy. You'll ride it to Sector F and depart there."

Vector leapt to his feet with a spring to his step. "Come n' ride the train, choo choo ride it! Whoo whoo!"

Espio smacked himself in the forehead. "Vector…just shut up."

Tails pretended not to see that. "Okay…anyways, now Rotor and Amy. You two will stay here and guard the Space Fox. If any enemies spot you, hurry and make a hasty getaway."

"But what about you all?" Amy asked. "We can't just leave you stranded here!"

"We're not leaving Neo Ark until we eliminate the enemy and rescue our friends and the emeralds. Besides, that's the least of our worries right now. Okay…now once we destroy the generators in our respective sectors, report back here in the Sector A hangar. This will be our home base. If Nicole is right, the barrier will be broken. Then we'll come up with one final plan to storm the Master Tower. Does anyone have any questions or concerns?"

No one replied. The whole gang was prepared.

"Alright…it's set. Everyone, let's do this. I wish you all good luck. Once we finish our tasks, remember to report back here. If you're in trouble or feel that something's wrong, don't hesitate to come back."

All members of the circle reached their hands forward into a pile. "LET'S DO IT!"

With that, all of them except Rotor and Amy got up and left to complete their objectives.

Shadow had the shortest route to his. The Sector A generator was at the top of the tower, the entrance to it is only a few hundred feet from his position. The hedgehog ran forward past the nearby train station and through the narrow hallways of the cold mechanized environment. He waved to the coyote, rabbit, the Down Unda' gang, and the two-tailed fox as he left from view.

They waved back while Antoine simply nodded. The six peeked around the corner toward the train tracks and looked carefully for enemies. The tunnels remained dark and silent. Nothing so far as they waited for the eastern bound train. Vector, Espio, Mighty, and Charmy were on the opposite side of the station from them. They remained on the stealth tip as they waited for the western bound train.

A few minutes passed before a shuttle train came screeching to the station. A speaker from above announced its arrival.

"APPROACHING 'SECTOR A' STATION. DEPART IF NECESSARY."

This one was going east. The mobians backed away into the shadows quickly. The doors slid open, and 8 SWATbots carrying materials and equipment emerged from the inside. With each clanking step, they hauled the cargo from the station and down the hall. As soon as the bots got far away, Tails' group snuck onboard and hid in the caboose. Out of sight, they ducked behind some old boxes.

About 4 minutes later, the bots, now emptyhanded, came back and boarded the train. A voice emitted on a speaker system in the ceiling. "ALL ABOARD. SHUTTLE TRAIN HEADING EASTBOUND TO SECTOR B."

The Chaotix clique watched as the train zoomed down the tunnel into darkness. Just then, their train arrived into the station.

"APPROACHING 'SECTOR A' STATION. DEPART IF NECESSARY."

This one was going west. That's their ticket. Following the other's team strategy, they waited and stayed out of sight until the SWATbots carrying supplies left the vicinity. The four dashed onboard and also hid in the caboose, behind some old equipment.

Minutes later, the metal adversaries returned and boarded the train once more. The same electronic voice emitted again. "ALL ABOARD. SHUTTLE TRAIN HEADING WESTBOUND TO SECTOR F."

Their train soon was on its route. All went smoothly thus far.

Shadow stood in front of the Slave Tower, looking up at its daunting 3000 foot high structure. It was wide at the bottom, and gradually narrowed toward the top. A light flashed at a interval on its roof. Shadow bust through the steel door with a powerful flying kick. Nicole was right. It was a weapons factory. Conveyor belts were carrying seemingly random parts down the line, furnaces roared to life, roving metallic arms meticulously assembled pieces together. The hedgehog wasn't all that impressed. "Heh…no time to lose. It's time to go up." 

_Stage B: Rush Fever_ (Player: **Shadow**)   
Mission: Reach the generator.  
Since Sonic is currently preoccupied, Shadow will fill in for the speedy hedgehog role. Besides having Sonic's moves, he has a couple of his own. Push up on the C stick to perform a Dark Tornado. It'll destroy all foes close to you. This consumes 20 percent of the Burst Meter. Push down on the C stick to execute a Dark Thrust. Engulfed in black energy, Shadow will burst forth a long distance, eliminating any baddies in his way. This consumes 25 percent of the Burst Meter. Like the stage name implies, you'll be spending most of the stage rushin' as you ascend the tower. Grind on twisting topsy-turvy rails. Hold B to have Shadow lean down and gain more speed. If there are more rails beside Shadow, press L or R to automatically switch to another rail to the left/right. No need for faulty jumping. You'll need to switch rails to avoid the proximity mines placed on them. SWATbots packed with flamethrowers will give you a warm welcome. Robotized bats will fly around, trying to nail you with light beams. These bats will often flutter about over large chasms. You'll need to use a homing attack on them in succession to get across them. Speed through warp tubes to transport from one area to another. You can hold left or right while in a tube to choose a path. Eventually, you'll break through a wall to the outside. Shadow will begin to run up the side of the tower. Keep going. Don't stop. Steer him into glowing speed arrows and avoid obstacles to keep the rush going. If you miss even one arrow, or if you collide into an object, you'll lose momentum and fall. Shadow will burst through a panel which will lead back inside the tower's top floor. Stage is finished when you reach this room, where the first of six generators are.

Shadow reached the highest room of the Slave Tower. A rotating silver cube sat on an electronic pedestal, alive with various beeps and lights. It illuminated the otherwise dark square-shaped room.

"Hmph…this must be it right here, the generator. Let me just give it a quick…" 

He dashed forward with a thrust kick…only to get knocked on his back by a flash. Some invisible force was protecting it.

"Oof…" he muttered, getting back up. "…A force field. Looks like I'll have to try…"

Shadow stopped when he heard a roaring engine noise come from below, the roaring becoming louder and louder. He stood his ground as a hulking jet-propelled red & black striped SWATbot, easily twice as big as a normal model, burst into the room. The streamlined machine appeared before him, armed to the teeth. In its right hand was a rail gun, in its left was a Celsius ray. Equipped on its back was a large double-barreled rocket pack. Embedded in its chest was a glowing blue orb. Its yellow eyes came to life as it spoke.

"HALT. BY ORDER OF MASTER MATHIAS, YOU ARE TO BE ELIMINATED."

"Mathias? Who the hell is Mathias?"

Without any more words, it raised its right arm and let loose with the rail gun. Shadow swiftly ducked the first bolt of lightning, and jumped to the side to avoid the second bolt. The hedgehog performed a back flip to dodge a freezing blast from its other weapon.

"HALT. BY ORDER OF MASTER MATHIAS, YOU ARE TO BE ELIMINATED."

Shadow signaled his opponent to come forth. "Don't know who this Mathias is but, if you want me…come and get me."

_Boss: Schneider 96-SX_ (Player: **Shadow**)  
This modified SWATbot will use its Celsius ray to spray a large blast of ice. Retreat to the opposite side of the room to avoid being a furry popsicle. About half of the floor will be frozen. You'll slide and lose traction if Shadow sets foot on it, making it difficult to avoid its other weaponry. But the thing is, you'll need to be on the ice to defeat this bot. That will be explained later. This mech's rail gun will pose a problem as well. As Schneider hovers around the room, it'll shoot several lightning blasts in your direction. They're pretty easy to avoid, since the shots are slow. But once the lightning shots hit the floor, they change into huge electrical pillars which will follow you around the room. Maneuver around the electricity and the slippery floor. The pillars will eventually disappear. Now, this is your only chance for some damage. Carefully step onto the ice and position yourself so that you're facing Schneider. Hold B to rev up your spin dash and spray a strong barrage of frozen shards at the boss. If aimed right, the SWATbot will get blasted by the ice and start beeping. Schneider will put its arms out and the chest plate will open up, revealing an energy cannon behind the orb. It's preparing to fire a powerful ray of energy. Before it's too late, hurry and use a homing attack on its exposed chest to damage it. After dealing damage, the boss will zoom to the center of the room and turn on its rocket thrusters. The SWATbot will start to spin around and around faster and faster, expelling flames. Jump over the fire as it passes you. The ice will melt away and the process will repeat. A total of 4 hits will shut this robot down for good.

Schneider spasmed as it emitted some random gibberish. Electricity and parts of its body scattered everywhere. "Ha…B….MA….I….EL….924372493...re3bEBrI…..zzzzzzzzzzzzt…." It released its grip on its two weapons as it fell to the floor in a heap. The robot sizzled as smoke rose from the metallic mass.

There was still the problem of the force field blocking the generator, but Shadow had that covered. Through quick thinking, the hedgehog picked up the massive Celsius ray in his arms. The weapon was a foot longer than him, but he held it with ease. "Let's see if this works…" He fired, and a strong ice beam instantly froze the pedestal. He wasted no time curling up and spin dashing right into it. The platform easily broke into pieces, making the silver cube fall to the floor, no longer protected by the shield. Shadow then gave that cube a strong roundhouse kick, destroying it. It no longer rotated. That's one generator gone.

"Hah. I'm the coolest. That's one down, five to go. Now to report back to Sector A…"

Shadow left the room and ran back down the side of the tower. He was on his way.

Meanwhile…in the top floor of the Master Tower… 

"Soon…the Crisis Project will be complete. All this hard work will finally come to fruition."

Big, Scramasax, Ray, the badger, and the tied-and-gagged Sally stood inside the most spacious section in Neo Ark. This chamber for the most part remained intact from the original Ark. The truly massive round room had a dome shaped roof. A single thin titanium stalactite hung from the ceiling, with a light that lit up the surroundings. In the center of the chamber was a ring shaped pool of water that drained off at the east and west sides. This is the room where the infamous battle between Shadow and the Biolizard took place.

At the north end of the room was a wall entirely made of various and strange parts of machinery. The depressing and intimidating monstrosity was 20 feet tall and 50 feet wide. Tubes criss-crossed toward the center, different colored lights flashed about, pistons and gears were embedded everywhere. In the center of this mess was a pod, fit to hold only one person. On both sides of the pod were two long-barreled photon blasters, placed for those who dare to interfere.

Sonic was still woozy, eyes halfway open as the armored feline forcibly placed him in the pod.

"Uh…wh…where….where…uhh?" he asked, hopelessly lost.

"Welcome to Neo Ark, Sonic the Hedgehog."

"N…Neo Ark?"

"That's right. I'm finally going to get back what has been taken from me long ago. I've waited much too long for this. The 12,000 year wait will at last be over…"

Big shackled Sonic's arms and legs to his seat inside the pod. The hedgehog was limp, and his eyes were shut again. He was tranquilized as well. Ray and his tranquilizer gun were responsible.

Sally started screaming through her gag again, still as resistant as ever. Ray was getting a bit irritated by it, and yanked her arm toward him. The squirrel's face was mere inches away from hers, and his expression read of sarcastic sincerity. His eyes locked with her eyes.

"Now now my mate…you know that I know that I don't like seeing you tied up like this. Seriously, I don't. I love you. I don't want to see you suffer anymore. If you promise to behave yourself, I'll remove the gag. Okay?"

Scramasax rolled his eyes. "Bleh…I think I'm going to hurl."

Sally breathed a deep sigh and calmed herself down. She stopped moving, and did a slight nod of the head. "Mmm hmm…" she mumbled.

"Good."

The yellow squirrel untied the gag from her mouth, and removed it. Sally turned toward Ray and stared for a few seconds, then spit right in his face.

"…"

He simply smiled and softly chuckled to himself. Ray closed his eyes as he calmly wiped the spit from his face. "I'm sorry that we've come to a misunderstanding, little lady. Looks like you'll need to settle down for a while…"

"…What're you gonna do?" she asked, a little frightened.

Once again he took out a gun with a tube of blue liquid attached to it. He aimed it at Sally's arm, much to her surprise. Ray pulled the trigger, and the chipmunk/squirrel screamed when the needle penetrated her skin. 

"AHH! W…what did you…what did you just DO TO ME?!" 

"Relax. It's a tranq dart. It'll calm you down, and hopefully give you a little attitude adjustment afterwards."

"You dirty little…!"

Sally instantly collapsed. Ray's gun packed quite a punch. First Knuckles, then Sonic, now Sally. He was having too much fun with that thing.

Big crossed his arms and turned to the long-tailed traitor. "It's a good thing you shut her up. I was going to shut her up…permanently."

Ray did an uneasy laugh.

"Now. Enough with this banter. Sonic's locked up in the pod and ready to begin the final step. Scramasax, are you fully ready?"

"Yes, Mathias. And rarin' to go." 

"Excellent! Now go! Go damn it! It's time! IT'S FINALLY TIME!! The completion of the Crisis Project!"

The white red-eyed hedgehog showed a sadistic toothy grin. Scramasax stood up to the helpless blue blur and sneered down at him. He put his hands together as if in prayer, and muttered some foreign chant. In a flash, he transformed into a glowing ball of energy. That aura of energy went straight down Sonic's throat. The blue hedgehog instantly screamed out loud in pain at the burning sensation in his chest.

"GRRRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

The armored Big shut the pod door, sealing in the suffering Sonic behind soundproof glass. The anguish and agony on the chained-up hedgehog's face were clearly seen through the viewing window. His chains ensured he would have no way to escape his fate. His heart thumped at an incredible rate, and felt like his whole body was on fire. It was too much…too much that a single tear fell down his face.

Things weren't faring too well for Knuckles either. He was still unconscious inside one of The Falcon's containment cells.

"APPROACHING 'SECTOR B' STATION. DEPART IF NECESSARY."

The shuttle train screeched to a stop at Sector B, and the usual group of SWATbots carrying supplies exited from the station. Bunnie and Antoine made sure that the coast was clear, then disembarked from the train. Nack, Bean, Bark, and Tails waved to them before they left completely.

"Good luck!" the fox wished them. 

"Yeah…good luck. We'll see you back at Sector A." Bark added.

The rabbit waved back, while Antoine simply pressed forward down the snaking metal hallways. They were soon in front of the Sector B Slave Tower. The second generator was located inside, deep within the factory. A few SWATbots came out of the tower, prompting the two to duck out of sight. Moments later, they could barely hear the speaker some distance behind them.

"ALL ABOARD. SHUTTLE TRAIN HEADING EASTBOUND TO 'SECTOR C'."

The Down Unda crew and Tails were on their way to their missions. Antoine and Bunnie stepped up and stood at the entrance to the Slave Tower. The green-robed coyote and the half-robotized rabbit bust through the door and into the factory. Conveyor belts, furnaces, molten liquid, hissing engines, and roving metallic arms galore. Everything ran like clockwork. The inside was smoldering. An orange hue bathed the entire factory. The heat and humidity was easily visible in the air. 

"Whoowee it's hot in here. Whew…accordin' to Nicole, the generator is inside this building here. Are yah ready, Twan?" 

"Of course mon chere. But who said you were going with me?" 

"What?"

"Bunnie, you stay here and secure our escape."

"NO! I'm going with you! You don't know what's lurking in there! You could get killed!"

"Doubtful. If I'm not back in 30 minutes, just go back to the Space Fox and report."

"Twan!"

Ignoring Bunnie, the sword wielder rushed forth into scorching danger.

"Twan! Get back here! Twan! Twan! TWAN!!………Dang nabbit…"

Antoine continued to pay no mind to her words. He unsheathed White Coyote and went to work.

_Stage C: Mecha Madness_ (Player: **Antoine**)  
Mission: Get to the generator.  
Things will literally heat up as you slice and dice your way through the blistering factory. You'll spend the entire time on conveyor belts. Keep your sword ready, for there are mini gun turrets planted at both sides of the belt during the whole level. In the first section, crane arms from above will place metal parts on the belt. Destroy them before they have a chance to swat you. If an arm grabs you, mash on the buttons to break yourself free before you get tossed back. The conveyor belt will eventually make a sharp right turn to the second section. Here you will have to time your movements past crushing compactors. Avoid being mashed by double-tapping forward as soon as the compactor goes up. After getting past those obstacles, Antoine will automatically leap across a chasm to another, more dangerous section of the factory. Security will come in full force. Swarms of robotic spiders will come out of holes in the walls. These spiders come in two colors, red and green. The green ones shoot lasers that paralyze you temporarily, and the red ones jump and attack. The colors of the spiders match the colors of the B and A buttons on your Gamecube controller. It's not a coincidence. The red spiders can only be destroyed by a single horizontal slash (B button), and the greens can be scrapped with one vertical slash (A button). If you strike with the wrong attack, the spider will explode and cause some damage. You'll need to get the hang of this, since it only gets worse up ahead. Chopping blades from above and flamethrowers on both sides make life hell. As usual, wait until the right time to run past them. These, combined with the spiders, the moving conveyor belt, and the mini gun turrets won't make this an easy task by any means. Fortunately, the spiders can be destroyed by the chopping blades as well. When you reach the end of the belt, you have reached the center of the factory…where the generator is situated. Stage complete.

The silver rotating cube stood out among the orange-hued surroundings, and Antoine twirled his sword nimbly with one hand.

"Here we go. This has to be the generator. Say sayonara."

The sword spun even faster and faster in his hand, then in a split second, impaled the cube with both hands. The generator instantly stopped glowing, stopped rotating, and then fell to the ground. It seemed the force field didn't affect the White Coyote blade at all. That's two generators down, four to go.

"A job well done, if I do say so myself."

As he walked back, Antoine felt a piercing sharp pain throbbing in his chest. It was more than enough to catch his attention, and he kneeled down for a second. His eyes glowed a blood red for an instant, and he shut them tight. 

"Uh…gah….ah…damn…what…is…this…"

The teenage coyote shook his head and brushed it off. His eyes went back to normal. His chest pain had subsided. "What…was that…heh…it was probably nothing…too much stress…yeah."

Antoine learned the Anubis Blade technique! Push left on the C stick to engulf his sword in a black flame for 20 seconds. During that time, every successful strike Antoine makes has a 40 percent chance of causing instant death (except bosses, naturally). This consumes 60 percent of the Burst Meter.

Soon he was on his feet and back at the entrance, where Bunnie awaited.

"Sugah-Twan! I was worried that you wouldn't come back. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. The mission is done. Let's get back to Sector A." 

"…Right."

The two left the Slave Tower and treked their way back to the train station, where they awaited for their transportation.

Meanwhile…Shadow was back at the Sector A hangar, sitting with Rotor. Amy was inside the Space Fox, looking depressed. So far, no one has spotted the mobian's home base of operations.

"I'm glad to see you're back safe and sound, Shadow." the walrus said. "I just hope the others have fared as well."

"I have faith in the team. They'll get it done. Before you know it, they'll be back here and we'll be able to tackle the main tower. Right now, nothing would satisfy me more than my fist right across that fat flea-bitten cat's jaw." 

"Don't let your emotions get the best of you. It affects your judgment."

"Spare me the advice Rotor."

It became silent as Shadow laid on his back with his hands behind his head. He stared at the ceiling. Rotor began to ponder in thought, fiddling with his cap as he did so. He had this habit of closing one eye while scratching his head.

"Hmm…I wonder…" he muttered.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking about what Tails told us. You know…about 'The Seven Etherals'." 

"What about them?"

"I know this may seem way off base but, do you think they have something to do with the Chaos Emeralds?"

"…What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's seven of those 'Etherals' and seven of the Chaos Emeralds. Do you think they have some sort of connection?"

"How should I know? You're asking the wrong person. Maybe it's a coincidence…maybe not. We won't know unless we get to Big." 

"Yeah…you're right. Unless we know the truth, there's no need to ponder and guess."

"…"

"…" 

"Hey Rotor."

"Yeah?"

"Almost forgot to tell you. Before I got a chance to destroy the generator, a robot came and tried to kill me. He said something like, 'By order of Master Mathias, you will be eliminated.' You wouldn't know who this Mathias is, do you?"

"Never heard of him. Perhaps…he's the mastermind behind this whole ordeal…I don't know…but like I said, the truth can wait until later. Right now, I'm just worried about our friends."

"Oh…you're right. Sorry."

"No need to apologize. I started it, after all."

Near silence settled in once more.

"…" 

"…"

Mere minutes later, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the hangar. Shadow got up on his two feet upon hearing it. He was ready for a fight. Rotor simply turned his head as two figures came into view.

"Hey y'all!" yelled a familiar Southern voice.

"Ah…hey you two." Shadow said. 

Antoine and Bunnie sat on the floor and joined Shadow and Rotor.

The tusked sea mammal grinned. "Great seeing you here again guys. I assume means your mission is accomplished?" 

"You assume right."

"Nice work…this means two down, four to go. Now let's hope Bark, Nack, Bean, Tails, and the Chaotix have success as well."

Back in the ship, Amy felt a nervous shiver run through her body. She couldn't help but feel that her hero is in dire trouble. "Sonic…we're coming…just hold on…"

**_Next Chapter: The Truth_**


	14. The Truth

**Chapter 14 - The Truth**

_The winged mobian cracked an inviting grin, still holding the young woman's shoulder with a secure grip. The 5'10'' cat had tan fur with spots of dark brown and blue eyes, same color eyes as her. He was dressed in a silk blue robe with a standout yellow stripe down the center. A crest of a small angel was stitched on the left chest._

"Who…who are you…? Why did you save me?" she asked.

"Greetings young lady. My name is Nathaniel Richards, member of The Ruler's Elite Royal Guard."

"The Ruler's Elite Royal Guard? Tch…Why would you bother with a 'lowly piece of trash' like me? I'm not worth saving…I appreciate the concern, but you should just let me die." 

"Nonsense. I couldn't bear watching such a radiant lass such as you waste her life away for nothing. You may not know it, but I've been noticing you all these years. I've seen the way they've treated you…"

"Heh…not a pretty sight, is it?" 

"Can't say that it is. The Ruler had issued us members of the Elite Royal Guard to ignore you. If any of us were caught having contact with you, a sentence to death would be handed out. He says that it would damage our reputation having to associate ourselves with an 'inferior being'."

The young girl shook her head in confusion. "…I don't understand. Why are you risking your life to save mine? If anyone catches you here, you'll be killed."

"Because you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Seriously, I don't give a damn if you're missing a couple of wings or not. That's nothing. My heart skipped a beat upon first sight of you. You're quite literally a diamond in the rough."

"Oh boy…don't get all sentimental on me now." she said, rolling her eyes.

"I'll try not to, not yet anyways…besides, I'm off duty. I won't get in trouble. What's your name, by the way?"

"…Cristine Sisytus." 

"That's a nice name…well, a nice first name at least." 

"Yeah…I hate my last name too. My old caretaker said 'Sisytus' means snake hybrid in some other language." 

"Say…since I'm off duty, and since you don't have a home and all. Why don't you come over to my place? You can live there from now on."

"…Really? You mean that?"

"Of course. I live by myself, so you don't have to worry about intruding on anyone else's business. You'll have food and a bed to sleep in."

"I don't know…it's going to cause quite a stir if the Aliverians see you living with a 'non-Angel'." 

"We'll keep it a secret. All you gotta do is stay at home, while I attend to my work. As long as you maintain a low profile, no one will be the wiser."

"…Thank you. Really…thank you. Other than my old caretaker, no one has ever been nice to me..."

"It's no problem at all. We'll wait until nightfall, then we'll go to my home."

The sun dipped below the horizon and night has cast its shadow upon the city. The lights dotted the windows of the buildings like a Christmas tree. Leading her by the hand, Nathaniel brought Cristine safely back to his home deep within Aliveria, only a few blocks away from the Royal Capital. The Angel's heart fluttered being in her presence. Inside the cozy living quarters, the mobian gently set her down onto a chair.

"This is a nice place you have here."

"Thanks. I try. Would you like anything to eat?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah…I am kinda hungry."

Nathaniel grabbed a piece of a green round fruit from the cupboard and handed it to her. "Here you go. It's Peran fruit. Real sweet and delicious." 

"Mmm…Thank you. This is good."

As she consumed the fruit, she noticed an object hanging up on the wall. Its shine made itself noticeable. "Hey Nathaniel…"

"You can just call me Nathan. It's what the other security personnel refer to me as."

"Alright…Nathan. What's that there on the wall? I never seen one of those before."

"That object there is called a sword."

"Sword?"

"Yep. I created it myself. It's a weapon used for slicing and cutting." 

"Why do you need something like that for? You can use magic you know."

"Yeah, I know. But I believe there is nothing more elegant than a sword in the hands of a master. Unlike magic, which we Aliverians are already born with, it takes true skill and dedication to master a sword. I believe that someday, when life on the mana-less Earth will be reborn again, I could teach my sword skills to those willing to accept the responsibility. I grow tired of this strict high-and-mighty lifestyle, and practicing with the blade is pretty much my only hobby. Everyday I get better and better. Maybe I could teach you a few skills, eh Cristine?………Cristine?" 

She was already fast asleep; the half eaten fruit lay on the floor.

The mobian Angel chuckled to himself and shook his head at his absent mindedness. "Geez Nathaniel, how could you forget that Peran fruit causes drowsiness…oh well. She's had a stressful day, about to commit suicide and all. She'll need the rest."

Nathaniel carefully picked up Cristine into his arms, and carried her upstairs into a bedroom. Gently, he placed her under the covers and put her head on a pillow.

"Good night Cristy." he whispered, and then kissed her on the forehead. "Sleep well."

He walked out of the bedroom, and slowly closed the door behind him.

Admiration soon turned to forbidden love…a forbidden love between an Angel and a human. Cristine's view of Aliverians changed upon meeting Nathaniel. Perhaps, not every one of them is incapable of mercy or compassion. This big-hearted mobian was different from the others. Years have passed by and their secret has been kept safe, out of society's and the Ruler's eyes. Nathaniel and Cristine's growing passion for each other eventually peaked, and the creation of another life has occurred…

2 years later after their fateful meeting, a child was born.

Cristine cradled the newborn in her arms as Nathaniel lovingly looked over her shoulder. He playfully poked a finger at the tiny hairless kitten's nose. His eyes have yet to open as it waved its miniscule paws around. The baby managed to let out a tiny little mew.

"Are we going to name him just like we talked about, Cristy?"

"Yeah, it's a boy. So he will be named…Mathias."

The next 5 years continued on peacefully. Cristine stayed home and took care of their child. Nathaniel did his usual everyday job of security at the Aliverian Royal Capital. Their little secret had been kept undiscovered, that is until one day when their young son, Mathias, decided to go out for a little stroll in the city. His mother didn't know.

Young Mathias, a winged violet-furred cat, was an adventurous child. Just as many other kids his age, his curiosity always got the better of him. This was his very first time outside of his home. As he was walking down the street, looking back and forth feverishly at the fascinating new sights before him, he unintentionally bumped into a group of three Aliverians.

"Oof!" he said, falling on his behind.

One of the Aliverians looked down at the boy. "Well well…what do we have here? Are you by yourself, little one?"

He clumsily got back up to his feet. "Uh huh! I'm goin' on an adventure!"

"That's nice, but…" the second one said. "Do your parents know where you are?"

"Wellllll…ummm…not really."

"Don't you think you should tell them?" the third one asked.

"Aww man…do I havta?"

"Yes…you should. Don't want them to worry abo…"

Just then, Cristine's voice was heard getting louder down the street toward her son and the Aliverians' position. "MATHIAS! WHERE ARE YOU?! MATHIAS!! WHERE ARE…AH! THERE YOU ARE!"

The woman ran to her son and bent down toward him. "You shouldn't be out here! Come inside!"

"Awwww moooooom…"

"Wait a minute!" one of them asked. "You're…you're that filthy wingless bitch! Is that your child? This…this Aliverian is your child?!"

She picked Mathias up and put him over her shoulder. "Don't worry about it." she told them.

"I can't believe it! I must be dreaming! An Aliverian would actually stoop so low as to have a child with YOU?!"

"That's disgusting! I'm getting sick just about thinking about it!"

"This is just great. It's bad enough having one cursed piece of trash in our city, now we have two."

"Tell us. Who's the Aliverian that shamed himself and his entire race? Who's the Aliverian that willingly infected his very existence?"

Cristine began to run, carrying the child with her. "Let's go Mathias. We're going back home." 

"After her!" one commanded.

Meanwhile…

At the top of the Grand Stairs, outside of the Royal Capital's Main Entrance, the Almighty Ruler stood at the podium, looking down at the 50,000-strong populace below. Nathaniel and 3 other members of the Royal Guard stood beside him, maintaining a professional composure. The Ruler was a decrepit old fox with a long flowing beard, an excessively long decorated white and gold robe, and a silver staff that he held in his right hand. The Ruler was the very first Angel that ever existed, and was the founder of the city itself. There was an important declaration that needed to be addressed to the citizens, for this news could shake the very foundation of Aliveria itself. The old leader bent forward and began to speak into the microphone. 

"ATTENTION! CITIZENS OF ALIVERIA!!" he bellowed in a shaky, yet strong voice.

It instantly became quiet. They knew better than to not disrespect him.

"IT DISHEARTENS ME TO SAY THIS, BUT I'M AFRAID MY TIME IN THIS WORLD IS BECOMING SHORT. I'M AFRAID THAT I'LL SOON PASS ON."

A low murmur sounded among the citizens.

"I WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD OF MY CITY, AND BECAUSE OF YOU ALIVERIANS, IT HAS GROWN AND FLOURISHED BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU…FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE."

Applause commenced for several seconds before dying down again.

"BUT…THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM. MY SUBORDINATES CONFIRM THAT CRIME AND DISORDER CONTINUE TO PLAGUE MY CITY AT AN ALARMING RATE. ADD TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A LIMITED NUMBER OF SECURITY OFFICERS, AND THE NOW IMMENSE SIZE OF THE CITY ITSELF, MAKES IT RATHER DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE PEACE. I WILL NOT ALLOW MY CITY TO FALL INTO A DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF PANDEMONIUM. THAT IS WHY I TOOK THE TIME TO CREATE A NEW, MORE EFFCIENT METHOD OF ENFORCING THE LAW. I CALL IT… "THE NINE ETHERALS OF JUSTICE."

Looks of confusion spread amongst the crowd.

"COURTESY OF MY SUPERIOR MAGIC, I HAVE CREATED NINE IMMORTAL BEINGS THAT WILL WATCH AND PUNISH THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE MY ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY. EACH ONE IS POWERED WITH A DIFFERENT ELEMENT, AND WILL PRESIDE OVER EACH OF THE NINE DISTRICTS OF ALIVERIA. EVEN AFTER I LEAVE THIS WORLD, THESE POWERFUL LIFEFORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PERSERVE THE TRANQUILITY OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CITY. NOW…WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, LET ME INTRODUCE "THE NINE ETHERALS OF JUSTICE."

The Ruler closed his eyes and muttered a chant. Everyone could feel a frightening power in the air. The sky darkened more and more as those words left his mouth. The citizens were uneasy, looking up at the morphing clouds. A bright flash shook the sky and a vortex appeared…and one by one, nine creatures emerged from that vortex and descended on down. The portal vanished and the light quickly returned to the city. They stood amongst the Ruler…and faced the audience with ice cold stares. 

"_THESE MAGNIFICENT BEASTS THAT STAND BEFORE YOU ARE POWER INCARNATE, FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH ENERGY. THEY ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. YOU WOULD NOT BE WISE TO TURN AGAINST ME, FOR A SWIFT AND MIGHTY PUNISHMENT WILL FALL UPON YOU. LET ME REVEAL TO YOU THEIR IDENTITIES."_

1. Shiro, the Earth Dragon Etheral.  
2. Aquios, the Water Serpent Etheral.  
3. Hein, the Fire Wolf Etheral.  
4. Mach, the Wind Hedgehog Etheral.  
5. Niatro, the Lightning Tiger Etheral.  
6. Emelia, the Light Fairy Etheral.  
7. Void, the Dark Sphere Etheral.  
8. Scramasax, the Energy Aura Etheral.  
9. Demi, the Gravity Demon Etheral.

The people stood in awe and bewilderment at the radical appearance of their new superiors.

"(Boy…this is a bit extreme…)" Nathaniel whispered to another guard.

"(You're telling me. I think the old fox is finally off his rocker.)"

Another whispered. "(Yeah, this is really unnecessary. I think he's more in the interest of showing off his powers than in the well-being of the city.)"

"(Yeah. He would be nothing without the Forbidden Codex.)" Nathaniel added.

"(Agreed.)"

The Ruler took a deep breath for the last part of his address. "LONG LIVE ALIVERIA!! NOW ETHERALS, GO AND WATCH OVER OUR BELOVED CIVILIZATION. MAKE ME PROUD!"

The nine remarkable creatures bowed in respect, then zipped off and separated into the different parts of the city.

"EVERYONE, YOU ARE ALL DISMISSED."

The spectators flew off and left with mixed feelings. The Ruler turned around with his hands behind his back. "Members of the Elite Royal Guard, thank you for coming. You are dismissed for the day."

They all bowed their heads and left the Capital in a single file line, with Nathaniel in front. He smiled, looking forward to seeing his lover and son. The winged feline immediately glided down the street, to his home on the corner.

"I'm home! Cristine! Mathias!" 

He looked around the house, but the two weren't around. "No… This isn't right. This isn't right at all. They were ALWAYS home…"

Nathaniel went back outside to continue the search. The sun was in its late afternoon phase, bathing the city in orange. He leapt straight up and flew around the district. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes, into hours, when finally, the Angelic mobian found them hiding on the outskirts of the city.

Cristine and Mathias were a sad sight to see. They were trembling with fear. Cristine's clothes were torn and singed, her hair was a scraggly mess, burns and blood stains covered her body, her face had evidence of tears running down them. The poor woman looked like she was in an accident. Mathias wasn't much better. He was beaten just the same, even though he was only a child. The violet-furred Angel cried himself to sleep.

Nathaniel rushed over to them, his heart nearly jumping out of his throat. He lowered to one knee and put them in a comforting embrace. "Cristine! Son! What the hell happened?!" 

"I…I…I'm sorry Nathan. Mathias went outside without my knowing, and I had to go get him…and the Aliverians……they caught us…and…"

"Shh…say no more…save your strength…I'll get you home and take care of you."

"O…okay…" 

Holding them secure in his grasp, he took off and carried them back safely to their home. Nathaniel bolted up the stairs and placed them softly on the bed. They hardly moved as he scrambled to get some warm wet cloths to clean up their wounds. Next he put his right hand forth, closed his eyes, and began to chant an incantation… 

"Angelus Curi Merio Viera."

His paw became surrounded by a warm white glow, and that glow soon enveloped Cristine and Mathias' bodies. Miraculously, their wounds faded away, but some of the pain still lingered.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Y…yes. Thank you Nathan."

He held her hand into his larger paw, and clenched it. "I…I'm sorry I had to see you suffer. You don't deserve any of this…" 

"Nathan…I'm tired…I'm tired of being pushed around for being different. For once, I want to be the one doing the pushing."

"I know how you feel, love…but…"

"I want to be the one making people suffer…I want to…I want to make them burn in misery. Let them be the ones to cry to pain…" 

"Cristy…"

"Nathan."

"Yes…love?" 

"You know The Forbidden Codex that The Ruler's security personnel watch over, right?"

"…Right."

"…I want you to steal it for me."

"What?! Why?"

"You know what it does. I…I want you to steal it…so I can use it…use it as payback for the years of torment those feathered cretins have caused me."

"Payback?…I don't know…that sounds really dangerous. What are you planning to do exactly? I don't think you could handle such a thing. Besides, stealing a priceless artifact straight from The Ruler's Royal Capital is way way too risky. They would have my head if I got caught even touching it." 

"Who said you had to be caught, Nathan? If anyone finds out it's missing, pretend it isn't you. I'm sure you could think of something…"

"Cristy…you didn't answer my question. If I did get The Forbidden Codex and you used it, what would you do exactly? I don't think picking off Aliverians one by one isn't going to solve anything."

"Oh no my dear…I have something more purposeful in mind…so please…let me have this. Let me have my one shining moment after enduring my several years of darkness. Please…you can return the codex after I'm done using it."

Nathaniel breathed a deep sigh. "Cristy…." 

"Please Nate…just this once…for me…"

"…" 

"Look what they've done to our Mathias. Until I acquire some power of my own, they'll continue to walk all over us. All I want is to show these people that I'm not some insect you can keep stepping on. That won't happen anymore. Perhaps…it'll shed some light…and maybe…they'll accept the fact that I'm just as worthy as they are…"

"…"

"I'm begging you, Nathan."

"…"

"…Alright…I'll do it. For you. I don't know what I'm getting myself into, but I'll do it."

Cristine leaned forward and hugged her mate. "(Thank you, thank you, thank you…you won't regret this.)" 

"(Think nothing of it. For you and our son.)"

The next morning Nathaniel awoke, and kissed the still sleeping Cristine and Mathias on the forehead. He then freshened himself up, and grabbed a thick red book from the bookshelf in the living room. He hid the book in his robe as he walked out of the house. Nathaniel headed for the Royal Capital to do his typical job of patrolling the grounds. Several Aliverians walked their watch routes around the courtyard and surrounding areas. The robed feline entered the main room and nodded to the Fox himself, who sat motionless in his throne. 

"Good morning Sir."

"Good morning Nathaniel." 

He wasted no time getting to the second floor, and down to the end of the hall. Two guards stood watch in front of a vast marble door, marked with angelic writing in neat rows. Phase one of his plan would start…now.

"Morning guys."

"G'morning Nathan."

"Hey Nathan. What brings you up here?"

"This is my shift now. You two now guard the opposite wing of the building, while I take care of things here."

"But of course. We'll take our leave now."

They began walking. He waited until they were out of sight before stepping through the door into a barely-lit round room. It was considerably cooler in here than the rest of the building. In the center of the room was a pedestal, with a light shining right down on it. On that pedestal was a rather thick 1,000-page red book.

The Forbidden Codex…a book with a mysterious origin. Just like the Angels, no one had known where this particular book had come from. There was a reason why this object was deemed forbidden by The Ruler. Printed on its pages were the incantations to spells of the Dark Arts. Reading those very words bestowed the reader with the knowledge to cast those spells. The awesome magic contained in the Codex made Aliverian magic look like child's play. The creation of life, as the Ruler demonstrated with the Etherals, was something that the Aliverians could never do in their wildest dreams…

Nathaniel looked around cautiously, and walked to the back of the room. He pressed his paw on a certain section of the wall, revealing a keypad. Entering the 10-digit password deactivated the infrared lasers surrounding the relic. The winged mobian didn't hesitate in performing the old switcheroo. As fast as he snatched the Codex in his arm, he placed the other red book on the pedestal. Shortly after tucking the Codex in his robe, he reactivated the lasers and walked out of the room. He couldn't go now and leave the room unguarded. It would arouse some suspicion. Instead, he stood and waited until his replacement came several hours later.

"Alright Nathan. Your shift's over. See you later."

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

He straightened himself out, took a deep breath, and went back downstairs to the main room. He continued walking, not bothering to say another word or looking in the Ruler's direction. The old Fox still sat motionless, and Nathaniel could imagine him staring into his soul. Just as he approached the exit, a booming voice stopped him in his tracks.

"NATHANIEL!"

His heart jumped and he froze up. He slowly turned around. "Y…yes Almighty One?" 

"……Have a good night."

"……Y…you too." 

Relieved, he continued outside to the courtyard and spread his wings. Nathaniel leapt up and headed for home. It felt good to soar through the night sky, with the air gently massaging his wings. Closing in on his house, he noticed Cristine looking out from the corner of a window.

"(There he is…)"

Nathaniel entered through the front door, and was immediately squeezed in a strong hug from Cristine. "Welcome back…do you have it? Do you have the Codex?"

He pulled out the heavy red book and held it out to her, which she immediately snatched. "Thanks." she said, quickly turning to the first page. She was immediately absorbed.

"Uh…you're welcome…love."

Mathias strutted into the room and looked at her mother with a intrigued look on his face. The little kid ran around and around and around her, jumping up and down. "Whatcha reading mommy? Whatcha reading? Whatcha reading mommy? Whatcha reading? Huh? Huh? Telllll meeeee! Pleeeeeease?"

Nathaniel grabbed the dashing Mathias by the tail and lifted him up. "She's reading a really big story, son. Don't bother her, now."

Later in the night, as Nathaniel and Mathias played around in the living room, Cristine still stood at the very same spot where she received the book. She continued reading like a demon possessed. The woman was aloof to the world around her. The only thing that mattered to her right now was the Codex in front of her. Her knowledge of the great Dark Arts grew at an impressive pace.

It soon became late, and Nathaniel was upstairs tucking Mathias into bed. Meanwhile, Cristine continued reading frenziedly. Her eyes were stuck on the writing in the pages.

"Mommy likes reading that book, huh papa?"

"Yeah, she sure does. I'm afraid she'll like it too much..."

"Can I read it when she's done?"

"Oh no no my boy…you're way too little for that. She's only borrowing it anyway."

"Aww man…that's no fair. I'm always too little."

Nathaniel smiled and kissed him on the forehead. "You'll be big someday. Good night you little runt. Sleep tight."

He went back downstairs and slowly looked over Cristine's shoulder. "Dear…do you think you should give it a rest? Hmm? You've got your nose buried in that book for 4 straight hours now."

Her lips continued to move without a sound as she kept reading the book to herself. Nathaniel's words fell on deaf ears.

"Hello? Love?"

"…"

"Okay…well…whenever you feel like stopping, I'll be upstairs asleep. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"…"

The Aliverian stared at her for a couple minutes before reluctantly going up the steps. Once at the top he looked at her once more, becoming more concerned. "…Uh…Good night."

"…"

He sighed, and then proceeded to the bedroom to go to sleep. Unknowing to him and the citizens of the city, Aliveria was about to be changed forever…

The father and son slept well into the night. Suddenly, a loud rumble shook through the house and woke them from their sleep. It was enough to knock the books and other objects off the shelf. He looked over to the other side of the bed, but his mate wasn't present.

"(What the…she's still reading that thing?)"

Mathias began to cry, urging Nathaniel to run to his room. He was sitting up in bed, covering his face as he sobbed.

He picked him up over his shoulder. "Now now…don't cry…it's okay… (Now what could possibly make that ruckus?)"

He walked over and looked out the window, and saw something definitely unsettling. A pillar of smoke was bellowing from the center of the city. The source of the smoke was from the Royal Capital. The entire structure was crumbling in flames. What was once the most prestigious establishment in Aliveria was now in shambles. The Elite Royal Guard, or what was left of it, was scrambling all over the place.

"THE RULER IS DEAD! THE RULER IS DEAD!"

"IT'S THE END! IT'S THE END!!"

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?! WHO DID THIS?!"

"THERE SHE IS! IT'S THAT LOWLY CURSED WOMAN! GET HER!"

"TAKE THIS, YOU BITCH!!"

"HOW DID SHE GET SO POWERFUL?! NOTHING'S WORKING!!"

"CALM DOWN!! THE ETHERALS ARE COMING TO SAVE US."

A certain woman was floating effortlessly up in the air before the Aliverians, cackling madly. The destruction of the Royal Capital, and the death of The Ruler, was her doing. Her raised hands glowed with a bright blue aura. Cristine Sisytus, no longer powerless, now wielded the Dark Arts. It was the Aliverians' turn to answer to a higher power.

Mathias was watching the events unfold alongside Nathaniel. "Papa, what's happening to mommy?"

"…I think your mommy is a little mad."

He gently put his son down to the floor, then firmly held his shoulders.. "Now Mathias, I want you stay here where it's safe, okay?"

"Where're you going papa?"

"To calm your mommy down. Now I really want you to stay in the house. It's going to be really dangerous outside, alright?"

"Okay papa."

Nathaniel got dressed and stormed out of his home. 

Cristine hovered above one of the districts, her azure eyes surveying her target like a hawk. The Aliverians below looked up toward her, shocked at her ability to float.

"Up there! It's…it's…that woman! How she is doing that?!"

"I don't know…"

"No matter! Let's get rid of this rubbish once and for all!"

Four Aliverians rose up and surrounded her. One by one, they put their hands forward and began to chant their spells. A barrage of fire, ice, and lightning from several directions headed toward the woman, but a force shield rendered it harmless.

Cristine looked disappointed. "Is that it? You're joking right? Is THAT your entire oh-so-perfect race is capable of? Here. Let me show you what it feels like to be 'inferior'."

She tossed her hair back and chanted a hex of her own. "Demonus Annhilix Cravil!"

Her body glowed a bright red, and a tremendous blast of flames instantly reduced the surrounding Angels into dust. She had an evil grin as she ascended higher. "I can fly without wings, how about you?"

A destruction spree had begun from district to district. She flew wherever her vengeful heart took her, and blasted anything at random with gigantic glowing orbs of energy. Explosions leveled the streets, buildings disintegrated, pandemonium ensued, casualties piled up. The civilization was painted red with blood and fire. At this rate, Aliveria would be no more. Cristine stopped to take a look around and breathed deep, relishing in the demolition she handed out.

"O how the mighty hath fallen." she said to herself with a wicked laugh.

"CRISTINE!!!" shouted a nearby voice, Nathaniel's. 

He stopped right in front of her and held her shoulders. "Love…you've got to stop this! Destroying everything in your path is NOT going to solve anything!!"

"…"

"Are you okay?"

"…"

"You've got to calm down. If you keep this up, we won't have a home for our child and us to live in. Okay? Please? This has gone on long enough."

"…" 

"Do it for me. Do it for Mathias."

"…" 

"…Love?"

"…I don't give a damn about you. I don't give a damn about our son. Now get the hell out of my face."

Nathaniel was absolutely crushed and heartbroken. His mouth hung wide open in complete and utter disbelief as Cristine showed her true colors. She deeply wanted power above everything else in the world, including love. It was the most painful moment in Nathaniel's life.

"…_Wh…WHAT?!? WHAT?! After I saved your life, given you a home, and took care of you…the love we shared together…the child you held in your arms…AND YOU…YOU… DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ANY OF IT?!?" _

"…They are no longer relevant. Now leave my sight." 

She placed a hand on Nathan's forehead, and an instant flash of light sent him flying into a pile of rubble down below. 

"Now that I have THAT out of the way…it's time for some more chaos!!"

"I think not, woman."

"Who dares oppose me?!"

One by one they appeared; the Enforcers created by the late Ruler…the ones that watched over the city and chastised those that disturbed the peace…The 'Nine Etherals of Justice'. By the looks of things, Cristine not only broke the law, she destroyed it. It was up to Shiro the Earth Dragon, Aquios the Water Serpent, Hein the Fire Wolf, Mach the Wind Hedgehog, Niatro the Lightning Tiger, Emelia the Light Fairy, Void the Dark Sphere, Scramasax the Energy Aura, and Demi the Gravity Demon to destroy this dominant felon and set things right.

"Defiler of peace. By the holy laws of the Almighty Ruler, you shall be obliterated!" Shiro bellowed.

"Ahh…so you're the Ruler's pathetic servants? You might as well give it up. I wield the Dark Arts now. If I can destroy the Ruler, I can destroy you too."

"We'll see about that!" Mach shouted.

"Don't underestimate us." Scramasax stated. "Even though the Ruler is no more, his word is still absolute."

Hein growled. "Burn in Hell for your sins."

The Nine Etherals moved into a V formation and got into a ready stance… 

CRASH!!

Bark's fist smashed through the SWATbot's face as if it were a piece of paper, making it crash to the floor. The force of the punch was so strong; the mighty polar bear had to shake his paw to ease off the pain. "Hah hah! Right in the mug! I'll never get tired of this!"

Nack took some bullets out from his belt and reloaded his Revolver, clicking with each chamber filled. "Heh…so where did that little fox runt say the generator is again?"

Bean gave the weasel an odd look. "Weren't you even paying attention to what Tails said? Oh never mind…everyone knows what you were thinking about…anyways, it's a few thousand feet below Sector C's Slave Tower. The underbelly of the factory."

"Ah…right. Well let's get this over with. The sooner we get the job done, the sooner we'll get…"

"WE KNOW, WE KNOW…THE MONEY!!" both Bark and Bean added, complete with a rolling of the eyes and a big sigh.

Nack grinned. "Actually, I was going to say 'the sooner we'll get outta here'…but I guess money works too. Geez…you guys need to think about other things besides cash."

The mercenary continued walking down the dark cool hallway to the entrance of the tower. Bark and Bean looked at him in bewilderment, then at each other, at him, then again at each other. The bear huffed and puffed, and rushed forward to sucker-punch Nack, but the duck held him back.

"Take it easy Bark…take it easy. We'll only have to work together for only a little while longer." 

"Grrr…"

The two caught up to him and soon all three stood before the tall structure. Stepping inside, it was the same familiar scene of a factory at work. Machines were performing automated tasks, and it was hot as hell. They went to the east side of the room and reached a small elevator. Bean pushed the 'down' button before they stepped aboard. Two clicks and a beep, and they were soon descending into the dark quarters below.

Nack cocked his weapon. Bean pulled out a bomb. Bark threw a few practice punches and kicks.

"Let's roll."

_Stage D: Bullet Ballet_ (Player: **Nack**)   
Mission: Reach the generator.  
Remember way back when you defeated Wallabee in Down Unda? Remember the weapon you were awarded depending on how well you did? You can finally use it now! Hopefully you received something decent like the flamethrower or shotgun. You're in a maze-like underground control section where large computers regulate and monitor the activity in the factory above. The area is barely lit, and certain parts of the floor are rigged with laser traps. You'll have to fire your Revolver (or whichever weapon emits light upon use) and use the flash to determine where the traps are and avoid them. Small Roto-copters equipped with searchlights and homing needle guns will patrol the level. These buggers are extremely fast and move in erratic patterns. Get them before they get you. If you are spotted, they'll pursue and attack. Roll as much as you can to avoid the homing shots. Barrels full of flammable chemicals are strategically placed through out the area. You can shoot them to cause an explosion, perfect if a swarm of copters happens to fly near it. Don't get too close though, the blast hurts you too. At three points in the stage you'll enter a small 'security checkpoint' chamber. Here, there is an orb that floats slowly around the room. Destroy it to move on. The orb itself is harmless and doesn't attack, but the room will. Avoid the attacks while you shoot the sphere down. In the 1st checkpoint, you'll need to dodge a laser beam that continuously ricohets around the room. In the 2nd, stay alert as random parts of the floor will become electrified. It changes every 5 seconds. In the 3rd and final, steer clear of the ricocheting laser AND the random hazard floor. After passing this room, you'll reach the generator and the end of the stage.

Nack recieves a new weapon at this point. If you finished the stage in 3 minutes or less, you get a submachine gun. If you finished in 3:01-6:00, you get a grenade launcher. Complete it in 6:01+, you get claymore mines.

The team approached yet another one of the silver rotating cubes on a pedestal.

"This must be it. The generator." Nack said, pulling out his Revolver and reloading it. "A few shots oughtta do it." He pulled the trigger and unloaded bullets one after another, but they simply bounced off. Quite a few of them almost hit Bark and Bean. The force field strikes again. 

"Hey!! Watch it little rat! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Bark growled.

"Yeah…if those bullets had come any closer, I'd be spittin' gum outta my forehead." 

"Alright then! What do YOU suppose we do, hmm?" Nack asked, annoyed.

The feathered bomber thought for a moment, then came up with something. "I have an idea…hmm…I think it might work…heh heh heh…"

Bark and Nack watched as Bean planted a bomb one after another after another after another after another… The two were still stunned by the time Bean had planted the 50th bomb. All of them were placed in a perfect circle around the generator. He then pulled out a single match.

"(50 bombs seem a bit overboard, don't you think?)" the weasel whispered to Bark.

"(50 bombs? That's nothing. He could've planted 100 if he really wanted to.)"

"(100?!? Bean has officially lost his mind.)"

"(Naw…he lost it a looooong time ago.)"

"Now…as soon as I light all 50 of these bad boys up, we're going to run like we stole something, alright? You have about 60 seconds. The explosion MIGHT be a little big." Bean grinned before striking the match.

"Screw this!" Bark and Nack had already started hauling ass.

The 50 bombs were lit quickly, and Bean was outta there as well.

Hssssss….

60...59...58... 

"Huff…puff…Bean…"

47...46...45... 

"you…are…"

34...33...32...

"one…" 

22...21...20

"crazy…"

9...8...7... 

"ass…"

6...5...4...

"mother…" 

3...2...1...

KAWHOOOOSH!!

Three down. Three to go.

Meanwhile, in one of The Falcon's containment cells, Knuckles finally showed signs of consciousness. His eyes slowly opened and the arms and legs began to slightly move. The echidna's vision was blurred at first, but quickly focused on the ceiling light above. With a grunt, he steadily but surely got back on his feet. He was still woozy as he took the time to get familiar with his new surroundings.

"Uhh…damn Ray. Shouldn't have trusted that bastard from the start. Hmmmm…"

Knuckles rubbed his head and tried to sharpen his thoughts. "I'm in jail…by the looks of things, I'm still on the ship…huh…"

He walked toward the horizontal plusonic laser bars blocking his freedom. The echidna performed a little test. He stuck the tip of his right knuckle into the laser. A jolting shock made him pull his hand back. The tip of the knuckle was singed. "Shoot…if these were regular jail bars, I could punch my way out no problem…but I'm just stuck here now."

Knuckles paced around the room, trying to think. As the minutes passed, his anger only rose. His fists clenched tighter and tighter, and finally, as his temper peaked, he punched the wall. His sunglasses fell to the floor from the impact.

"Huh. My sunglasses…" he muttered. It eventually hit him. "Ah ha…maybe I could get out of here just yet…"

He took the glasses and proceeded to the laser bars, then laid down. He placed the optical wear on the floor, making sure the lens is facing one of the sides. Next, he carefully eased it in front of the lowest laser. The beam bounced off the lens and went straight up into the ceiling. It was working as he wanted it. Now that there is enough space at the bottom, Knuckles effortlessly rolled under the beams to the outside. He was now free.

He picked up his sunglasses and kissed it, then put it away. "Now to find my friends, the emeralds, and kick some asses."

Knuckles ran down the corridor to the cockpit. He didn't bother looking for a switch. He leapt up and smashed through the windshield with a strong rushing punch. The echidna flew through the air and landed on one knee, with glass shards falling like rain around him. He was now out in the Master Tower hangar. Without another word, he headed across the area to another door. His general direction, seem to be heading toward the Biolizard chamber…

"APPROACHING SECTOR 'D' STATION. DEPART IF NECESSARY."

Tails departed from the shuttle train and left the station undetected. The generator that the fox had to destroy was in a very awkward location. It was on a platform outside of Neo Ark itself, floating among a string of airstrips protruding from the gigantic hexagonal structure.

"Outer wall of Sector D…in terms of strategic placement, that's a strange location for a generator."

He fired up his twin tails and flew over to the outer area. After landing safely on a platform, he decided to take a look using a pair of binoculars. There was the home planet down below.

"What a sight. I'm starting to get homesick already. I miss the planet as cool and blue as Sonic. But! No time to get emotional now. Watch out generator, cause here I come!"

Enemy aircraft had emerged from inside Neo Ark and out onto the airstrips. They appeared to be ready for take off.

_Stage E: Launch Base_ (Player: **Tails**)   
Mission: Get to the generator.  
Welcome. This is where the main force of Neo Ark's fighter jets originate from. Check out the magnificent view of the Earth below as well as the ocean of stars. The low gravity will make your jumping and flying easier. Make your way along the outer wall of Neo Ark. It's easy to fall since there's very little ground to stand on. Proceed with caution. Ride and spin on rotating cylinders, maneuvering around the spiked orbs that occupy them. Jump into cannons that transport you long distances. Use the analog stick to aim, and A to launch. The jets will fly out of the numerous runways, and will swoop by and shoot at you. SWATbots will fire at you from turret guns mounted near the airstrips. You can scrap the bots and hijack the turret guns to use against the offending jets. Use the analog stick to aim, A to fire, B to disengage. You're vulnerable in this position so be careful. You'll find the generator not too far into the stage, but you can't get to it quite yet. It's surrounded by three levels of shields. To deactivate them, you'll need to search around the stage and flip three switches. They're spread out pretty far so it might take awhile. Once you flip the three switches, return to the now accessible generator to complete the stage.

"Finally…here it is." he said to himself, stepping closer to that rotating cube. With a quick spin dash, Tails collided into the generator. A few small explosions followed by its abrupt motionlessness meant that it was no longer functional. That's 4 down, 2 to go.

The fox shook like a wet dog to get the bits of debris off of him, and then turned around. "Now back to Sector A."

It wasn't long before he made his way back to the station and snuck aboard the train. He nestled between a couple of boxes in the caboose. Tails' ears perked up at the sound of the clanking of SWATbots' footsteps embarking on the shuttle. It was best to stay quiet. The speaker made the routine call.

"ALL ABOARD. SHUTTLE TRAIN HEADING WESTBOUND TO 'SECTOR C'."

The fox felt a vibration underneath his feet, the engines hissed, and the train began to move. He peeked up and looked out the window. The monotone metal scenery began to pass by faster and faster, and the train was well on its way.

Tails continued to passively watch the outside as the uneventful trip continued. The shuttle stopped and went past Sector C, stopped and went past Sector B, and now it was on the final leg of its trip to Sector A. A SWATbot was the conductor in the front. Three more SWATbots patrolled back and forth down the cars.

All seemed routine, but not for long…

Out of the blue, a small metal shard pierced right through the roof of the train. It stuck right into the conductor SWATbot's chest, instantly shutting it down. Three more shards, almost simultaneously, shot from above the ceiling and into the SWATbots in the separate cars. They were immediately inanimate. One of the SWATbots fell afterwards in a loud clunk, alerting Tails. The two-tailed kid peeked out and saw the bots, instantly becoming concerned.

"…What? What's going on?"

Tails went over and inspected one of the androids. His eyes swept back and forth before he saw the lodged needle and pulled it out. "…That's an unusual device…a microchip…it's coated in an alloy…hey…I've seen this type before…"

BZZZZZZZZZ!!!

A loud buzz began above. Tails quickly looked up in shock as some kind of saw penetrated the ceiling. Sparks flew all over the place as it cut through the steel like a hot knife through butter. The whirring instrument made a complete circle, and that portion of the ceiling fell to the floor with a loud clank. The timid fox stared upwards for a while at the lights blurring by, expecting something to come down and kill him…but nothing came. 10 seconds…1 minute…5 minutes…still nothing. 

Tails was worrying. What was that thing…why did it kill off the SWATbots? If this thing was playing games, the fox might as well beat him at its own. He leapt through the ceiling, and nearly got blown off by the immense gale created by the train's speed. He maintained balance and stood his ground. At the other side of the car was his other half…his worse half.

A full metal two-tailed beast of a fox stood before Tails. It was a foot taller than him. Special steel alloy integrated from head to foot. Its pointed ears had speakers embedded in them. The triangle-shaped eyes pulsed with a brilliant blue each second. A line of 4-inch spikes were positioned straight down its back. The gloves and boots were large compared to the rather lean limbs. His two tails were actually razor-sharp saw blades, spinning at a high velocity.

"…(It's…me…)" Tails muttered. "(…but in robot form…)"

"I HAVE WAITED FOR YOU." it said, in a surprisingly calm, natural voice. 

"Wh…what do you want?"

"I SEEK A TRUE TEST OF MY ABILITIES. THE MOST EFFICIENT METHOD IS TO ENGAGE IN COMBAT WITH AN ORGANIC VERSION OF MYSELF."

"Who created you? And why has this person modeled you in my likeness?"

"…MY ORIGIN, AS WELL AS INITIAL REASON, IS UNKNOWN."

"You don't know who made you? (It must have been the creator's intention.)"

"NOW THAT THOSE INFERIOR SWATBOTS ARE GONE, NO ONE WILL INTERFERE. YOU WILL FACE ME. FIGHT ME WITH ALL THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF. SHOW ME WHERE MY PLACE IS IN THIS UNIVERSE." 

"Why?! There's no reason to do this!"

The metal fox put its gloves forward. He ignored his pleas. "PREPARE YOURSELF, MILES PROWER. I, METAL TAILS, WILL BE YOUR OPPONENT." 

"C'mon. There's gotta be another way to settle this!" 

"IF YOU DON'T FIGHT WITH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL, I WILL KILL YOU. NOW COME!"

"…sigh…here goes nothing…no since trying to convince a mecha."

_Boss: Metal Tails_ (Player: **Tails**)  
If you've beaten Metal Sonic in Sonic 2, then you shouldn't have too much trouble with this. There is limited room on the speeding train's roof, so watch yourself. Don't fall off or you'll lose a life. This fight is pretty straightforward. Just be careful not to touch Metal Tails' always-roving razor tails. Construction beams in the ceiling will pass by every so often, so don't jump into one or you'll get forced off. To damage the boss, all you have to do is to jump and hit its head when it stands still for a few seconds. It does this between attacks which includes jumping up and either air-dashing or spin-dashing toward you, and dashing back and forth repeatedly, leaving flames. Avoid the flames as you wait for them to disperse. Metal Tails will also fly up using his twin blades and perform a high-speed swoop. If he picks you up, expect to be slammed back down hard. After 4 hits, it gets quite a bit tougher. The mecha fox will go significantly faster, and also shoot exploding needles in 8 directions whenever it jumps. Stick with it and hang in there. After 4 more hits, Metal Tails will be known better as Metal Scrap.

Metal Tails was down on both knees, banged up. Unhurriedly, the fox robot rose to its feet. "EXCELLENT, TAILS. YOU ARE SUPERIOR TO YOUR MECHA HALF. I HAVE REALIZED NOW. I DO NOT BELONG HERE. MY EXISTENCE IS BEST LIVED A SHORT ONE."

A hidden compartment opened on its left wrist, and it pushed a few buttons. "SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. MR. PROWER, IT IS ADVISED THAT YOU RUN. 3..." 

"(You gotta be kidding…)" he thought. He ran like hell along the caboose's roof. His heart was racing.

"2..." 

With a huff and puff, Tails reached the edge of the train. 

"1..."

He jumped off and was airborne; his tails had only begun to spin.

"BEEEEEEEEP…"

KAWHOOOOOSH!! 

With a loud booming explosion, the train was torn apart with a cringing screech and whine of warping steel. Scrap metal flew with reckless abandon as the shuttle crunched like an accordion. The tunnel around it was ablaze with heat, fire and shrapnel. The force of the blast sent Tails spinning out of control at high speed. He tucked and rolled to minimize the hard landing onto the tracks. His fur stood up as he ducked, refusing to look at the carnage.

In the Master Tower…

The menacing armored Big stood and watched the pod that housed Sonic, who was tired and panting. You could hardly see him. A thick layer of steam had hid most of the hedgehog from view.

The cat did not move a muscle or make a sound. Right now the most important thing to him is the spectacle in front of him. Ray held the sleeping Sally close to him, not really paying attention to what's going on. He was looking around the room as if he was bored.

Just then, that badger in the lab coat stormed into the Biolizard chamber, running toward the trio. "Master! Master! The barrier surrounding the Master Tower has been deactivated! Those mobians are coming for you!"

Big did not say anything, nor bothered to turn around. His focus was apparent. Sonic.

The badger slowed his run to a walk. "uhh…sire?" 

"…"

"…um…aren't you even worried?" he asked, creeping up beside him.

"…"

The scientist tapped him politely on the shoulder. "…S…Sir?" 

"LET THEM COME!!" Big screamed, striking the badger's face with a backfist. He flew back about 20 feet, and skidded an extra 10 feet upon landing on his back. He was out like a light. Ray's eyes opened slightly. The squirrel didn't expect that.

"LET THOSE FEEBLE PATHETIC PIECES OF TRASH COME!! LET THEM ALL COME!! THEY WILL BE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE TORMENT AND SUFFERING BEYOND ALL COMPREHENSION! CRISTINE SISYTUS WILL BE A NAME THEY WILL LEARN TO FEAR AND RESPECT!"

Ray cleared his throat. "So…boss…should I?"

"Yes…go ahead Ray. Prepare your welcome mat for our guests."

The squirrel's grin was from ear to ear. He gently placed Sally down to the floor and kissed her cheek, then trotted to a door on the left side of the room.

When it was all quiet once again, Big reached his arm out and softly touched the pod's window. On the other side of the glass, Sonic's eyes were glazed over and his mouth hung open. The expression on his face was that of a braindead. His gloved hand reached up to connect with Big's, who whispered a single word. 

"Mother…"

Knuckles was eavesdropping in a hiding place just outside the Biolizard Chamber's doors. He had heard everything. "Good…Tails and everyone should be arriving soon. I'll wait here for the time being. I don't know what the hell this is all about, but we're going to find out, that's for damn sure."

Inside of the Sector A hangar, Tails had just joined up with everyone who had gathered together. The Chaotix, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Amy, Shadow, Bark, Nack, and Bean walked around, getting themselves prepped and ready. The barrier was gone. It was time. It was time for the final assault at the Master Tower… 

"Sorry I'm late, guys." Tails told them. He was covered in dirt and soot.

"You look like hell. What happened to you?" Shadow asked, flicking a piece of metal of the fox's ear. 

"Let's just say the train ride was…a bit interesting." 

"I see…well, we're glad to see you come back. Everyone was getting a bit worried."

"Thanks." The fox quickly noticed Nack, Bean, and Bark were covered in dirt and soot as well. "What the heck happened to you guys?"

"Oh…let's just say our escape route went off with a bang." Nack replied. He and Bark stared down at Bean, who squirmed uncomfortably in embarrassment.

"How did things go on yer end, sugah-Croc?" 

"Oh man…me and Espy were poppin' like it's hot! We busted up some botheads and our generator no problem! It was easy." 

"Easy for me at least." Espio further commented. "You were crying like a little school girl for half the mission." 

"Shhhhh! You promised you'd keep it on the d-lo! I got a rep to maintain!"

"Whoops…guess I forgot. Silly old me."

"Yeah right!"

Antoine was away from the crowd practicing his swordplay with fluidity and grace. His heart and soul seemed to be one with the blade.

Vector nudged Mighty on the shoulder. "Hey Hardback! Did you and Charms have any trouble with your mission?"

"Naw…even without wings, Charmy is still a tough little dude."

"Dang skippy!"

"I had the power. He had the speed. Put us together, and we made quite a team. We got the…hey, that rhymed!"

"Awwww yeahhhh!" Mighty and Vector high-fived each other, laughing out loud. 

"(Idiots…)" Espio muttered.

"Strategy time!" Tails announced.

Without delay, all thirteen mobians huddled together by the Space Fox. A plan of attack was due.

"All right guys. Good work on destroying all six generators. According to Nicole's recent report, the barrier has been dispersed. We are granted access to the Master Tower itself. It's most likely that Big, Ray, our friends, and the emeralds are at the top of that building. If you all thought it was tough before, I have no doubt in my mind that whatever Big has planned for us will make it all look like a stroll in the park. Bunnie, have Nicole scan the interior." 

"Sure thing young 'un. Nicole, gimme the layout of the Master Tower."

"SCANNING NEO ARK MASTER TOWER…30 percent…60 percent….100 percent…COMPLETED. DESPITE THE MASSIVE STRUCTURE'S APPEARANCE, THERE ARE ONLY FIVE FLOORS. THE FIRST FOUR FLOORS ARE FILLED WITH DEADLY SECURITY AND TRAPS. QUICK THINKING AS WELL AS REFLEXES IS REQUIRED TO PASS THEM. I RECOMMEND LONG-RANGE WEAPONRY FOR THE FIRST FLOOR, THE SECOND FLOOR REQUIRES MEMORIZATION AND ABILITY OF FLIGHT, THE THIRD REQUIRES PROFICIENCY IN SWORDPLAY, AND THE FOURTH DEMANDS HIGH SPEED TO PASS. THE FIFTH FLOOR CONSISTS OF A GIGANTIC CHAMBER, MOST LIKELY WHERE YOUR OBJECTIVE IS LOCATED." 

"Long range weaponry…" Nack said. "Guess I'll take the first floor."

Tails nodded. "Memorization and ability of flight…that's right up my alley. I got the second floor." 

Antoine smirked. "Heh heh…proficiency in swordplay eh? The third floor's mine."

"High speed? Don't worry. The fourth floor is up to me." Shadow told them.

"Alright then. Looks like the lineup is set. Shadow, Antoine, Nack, and myself will take care of security and other goodies they have in store for us. The rest of you guys will follow once we've cleared them out. Does that sound good to you all?"

Everyone seemed to agree. 

"Rotor and Amy. You two will stay here in the Space Fox and secure our escape route."

The pink hedgehog stomped her foot down. "NO!! I'm going too! I want to be there to rescue Sonic!"

"Amy…"

"I've been worried sick ever since Sonic was kidnapped back in Angel Island. If I don't see that blue hunk's face soon, I'm gonna have a nervous breakdown! So pleeeeease? I won't be a bother. I promise!"

"…alright Amy. You can come along."

"Thank you! You won't regret this, Tails!"

Shadow looked at her from out of the corner of his eye. "Stay out of my way."

"Don't mention it Amy. You don't mind being alone, do you Rotor?"

"Not at all. Go do your mission. I'll be waiting in the wings." 

"Thanks. We'll be counting on you when the time comes. Alright people…for our friends and the Chaos Emeralds. Let's get to the Master Tower, do what we came to do, and go home happy. Let's move!"

Once again, all thirteen put their hands together into a pile. "LET'S DO IT!"

The crew, sans Rotor, set out across the main bridge to the Master Tower. A larger-than-life staircase ascended to a great ornamented door. They looked up at the looming edifice, which belittled the Slave Towers surrounding it. It was a solid sleek black, with no lights whatsoever. They could feel a powerful aura emanating from it, and it was enough to inject some doubts into their hearts. That didn't stop them though. They couldn't turn back. Not now. Not after getting this far. It was all or nothing at this point. Big was only one big step away. Nack, Tails, Antoine, and Shadow stepped forward from their fellow comrades. Go time.

_Stage F: The Master Tower_ (Player: **Nack**, **Tails**, **Antoine**, **Shadow**)  
Mission: Get to the 5th floor.  
Here we go. Put your game face on. This is the final step before the confrontation with Big himself. This stage is divided into four floors; each floor will be taken care of by one of the four mobians. Nack will tackle the first. Here, you will be in a giant grid of pillars. These pillars will emit a wall of plusonic lasers in a random direction. Don't touch them or you'll take damage. The lasers will change directions every 25 seconds, effectively making it an ever-changing maze. Of course, new model orange-and-white striped SWATbots will be coming to fry you. These guys are equipped with CM-34 Ray Cannons. They will fire a continuous laser beam that will sweep over a wide area. Make full use of dodging and rolling. You can also take cover behind the pillars to avoid the beams. Claymore mines will also present a problem. They are spread out over the maze. Whoever steps on a mine, you or the SWATbots, will take damage. One tactic to try is to wait for one or more of the botbrains to get close to one, then aim and fire at the mine itself. The blast will surely take care of any offenders. Once you make your way to the north side of the room, board the elevator to the second floor. Tails will take over from there.

It's the fox's turn. Time to test your skills in memorization. You will be in a square room, and poison gas will start to creep in from the vents. You have 3 minutes to complete the puzzle or lose a life. In the center of the room is 9 buttons, laid out in a 3X3 formation. There are 4 switches up close to the ceiling, one in each corner of the room. They are accessible only by flight. So start up the twin tails and fly up to one of the switches. Upon pulling a switch, the camera will switch to a view of the 9 buttons below. In a Simon-type fashion, 5 buttons will flash in a random order. Now get back down below and jump on those buttons in the same exact order you saw. Get it wrong and you'll have to go back up to pull the switch again. Get it right and the switch you pulled will dissappear. Now get to the second one and pull. 6 buttons will flash in a random order. The third switch, 7 buttons. The fourth and last switch requires all 9 buttons. Remember that you only have 3 minutes to make all 4 switches dissappear. Once you accomplished that, the elevator door will open and the gas will stop. Antoine will take over from there.

This is going to be intense. The ultimate test of your swordplay. The coyote will fight through a series of 4 small octagon-shaped rooms, with the walls lined with deadly spikes. You'll be running a gauntlet. Another new model of the bots will make their debut here. Yellow-and-red striped SWATbots equipped with titanium blades. Be extremely careful. They have the same moves and techniques as you do, though they aren't as skilled. These models are very durable, capable of taking much punishment. Critical counters are a blessing here. In each room, a swarm of 7 will come out and attack. Do whatever it takes to eliminate them. You can use push kicks to send them into the spiked wall for great damage. Once in a while, two of the 8 sides of the room will start flashing. This is your cue to move. The flashing walls will charge forward to the center of the room, crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be in its way. Soon enough the walls will retreat back to its original position. If you're lucky, a SWATbot or two will get smashed. After trashing the 7 robots, a door will appear allowing access to the next octagon room. Once you get through the 4 rooms, get inside the elevator. It's Shadow's time to shine.

The last part of the stage is Shadow's domain. You will be running down a twisting, winding cylinder-shaped tunnel. Push left or right to go anywhere along the walls. Buzzsaws will move back and forth along the tunnel, so steer clear of them. As you dash down the passageway, there will be a round glowing depression in the floor with a sealed door in front of it. Jump into the depression and spin dash until the door is all the way up. Once you've completed that, RUN. When you opened that door, you set off a trap. Hear that sound of rushing water in the distance? It's coming up behind you. Stay ahead of the water torrent and jump to grab the ladder leading up before you get washed away. You will have to do this a total of 3 times during the stage. Again, robotized bats will hover over huge chasms. Use your homing attack in quick succession to get across safely. Once you've grabbed the 3rd ladder and climb up, you will be in a dark ominous hallway. Keep going and you will finally finish this stage. You have reached your destination.

The Chaotix, Shadow, Tails, Amy, Bark, Bean, Nack, Bunnie, and Antoine stood among the huge door that stood right in front of them. On the overhead display, it read "Biolizard Chamber." Speechlessness took over the crowd. Silence. Some were ready, some were perhaps a little afraid, but all of them were here for the common cause.

"Well…we're here." Tails finally said. "Is…everyone ready?"

"Whoa, hold on there little fox." said a familiar voice. The red echidna appeared from his hiding spot.

"Knuckles!" he exclaimed. The fox rushed and gave him a friendly hug. "I was afraid you were dead!"

"Not today. Hey now…take it easy. I'm glad to see you too Tails, as well as the rest of you guys."

Knuckles and his Chaotix posse gave a group high-five.

"Sweet to see you back m'man."

"Likewise Vector."

Charmy was especially excited. "Whoo hoo! The team is back together!" 

"What happened to you?" Espio asked.

"I got caught and captured while spying inside Big's ship. I managed to escape and hid by this door. I've been eavesdropping on the conversation here. This may seem as a surprise but, I think Big's real name is Mathias."

"Mathias?" Shadow looked confused, and then he remembered. "Ah! That robot that tried to kill me mentioned some guy called Mathias."

"I don't care about all that! I just wanna see Sonic!" Amy complained. 

Bunnie put an arm around the hedgehog's shoulder, consuling her. "We will girl. We will. Just wait."

"Hmph!" 

Knuckles continued. "I also heard Big…err…Mathias talking about angels and this Cristine person…I couldn't really hear much. I didn't get the rest. If we want to know the truth, looks like we'll have to go in."

Antoine slowly eased his White Coyote blade out from its wooden confines. "Well what the hell are we waiting for? Big…Mathias…whatever… Let's go." 

Bark agreed. "I'm with samurai pup. Let's roll." 

"What the hell did you just call me?"

"Relax. I'm kidding."

"This is gonna be my biggest job yet." Nack muttered, making sure his weapons are in check.

Each member of the mobian clique nodded to each other. Heeeeere we go. Tails stepped forth from the pack, and pushed the colossal door open. Sure enough this was the Biolizard Chamber from before, with a few changes. There was the vast dome-shaped room…ring-shaped pool of water that drained off at both sides. A few stairs at the north end lead up a pod, surrounded by that wall of machinery. All alone up there was the villain himself.

Mathias, who still didn't turn around, gave a slow pity applause. 

Clap………Clap………Clap………Clap………Clap…. 

"Congratulations on getting this far, I'm…a little impressed."

"Where's Sonic, Sally, and the emeralds?" Knuckles demanded.

"Ah…I see the echidna has managed to escape my ship. Heh…I expect nothing less from the Guardian of the Master Emerald."

"Spare me. Where are they?" he asked again.

"Relax my hotheaded friend. Sonic is right here, in this pod. Sally is sleeping over there on the floor. The emeralds are in the bag by my feet."

Amy gasped, seeing his idol locked up in that hideous device. "S…Sonic…what are they doing to you…"

"I don't get it." Shadow said. "Why you do need Sonic? What do you plan to do with the emeralds?"

Mathias chuckled to himself a bit, and turned ever so slightly. A gleaming fang appeared when he smiled. "Do you really want to know? About Sonic? About the emeralds? About everything?"

About half the group nodded…

"Very well then. You shall know the truth before you die."

All stayed on their guard. 

"Ahem…long ago, back 12,000 years or so…back before the Earth had any inhabitants, there was a race of Angels that lived in a floating city. They were called Aliverians, and they possessed the ability of flight and use of magic. I am one of them. My real name is Mathias."

They couldn't believe what they were hearing. "You're kidding." Bark said.

"I kid not. Watch." 

Mathias lifted up his left palm. He muttered something to himself, and a flicker of flame appeared in his hand.

Bunnie was just as surprised as the rest. "Oh mah stars…look's like he's right."

"Now…as I was saying. I'm an Aliverian. I'm sure you've heard the name Cristine Sisytus, correct?"

"Cristine Sisytus. Yeah…you told us." Tails said.

"For years Cristine was treated like dirt, simply because of her lack of wings and magic. Because she was different, she suffered their prejudice. Her hate for the Aliverians grew and grew, and so did her sadness. So sad in fact, that she was going to commit suicide. An Aliverian named Nathaniel, saved her life and fell in love with her."

"Fell in love with her…" Amy interrupted. "Let me guess…they had a child…and that child was you."

"That's right Amy. I'm the son of Cristine and Nathaniel. The son of a human and an Angel."

"No way! How is that possible? You mean to tell me you're 12,000 years old?!" Espio asked.

"Aliverians can live for thousands of years, my chameleon friend."

"(I can't believe what I'm hearing…)" Shadow thought.

"The Ruler, the 'king' of Aliveria, ignored her blight. The Ruler possessed great power, far surpassing the other Aliverians. Everyone feared his power, but it turns out that he wasn't born with it. A book known as The Forbidden Codex taught him the Dark Arts. My mother convinced my father to steal the Codex from under the Ruler's nose. Soon, she was just as powerful as the so-called King. Cristine would soon get her well-deserved revenge. She destroyed the Almighty Fox in his sleep…heh heh…IN HIS SLEEP. What a pity."

Tails questioned. "What does any of this have to do with Sonic? Why do you need him?"

"What a coincidence. I was just getting to that. It seemed that before The Ruler got axed, he created nine beings. "Etherals of Justice" he called them. They were his enforcers, to ensure the peace of the city. One of them was named Mach, master of speed...swift like the wind. He eventually became known to us all as Sonic the hedgehog."

The expression on everyone's face resembled that of "What?" Their faces stuck just like that.

"It seems like the Etherals were immortal. Sonic doesn't show any sign of aging. He's like Shadow. They can live forever. Scramasax is one also."

"Sonic…is immortal?" Mighty asked.

"That's right." 

"Un…freaking…believable….it's just…no…hell no…you're lying…you have to be lying…"

"I do not lie. Ask him yourself."

"What happened to the other seven Etherals?" Tails asked.

"Ah…the other seven….let's just say that didn't stand a chance against her. Using the Dark Arts, she transformed them into crystals. Shiro, Aquios, Hein, Niatro, Emelia, Void, and Demi…all mighty Etherals turned into gems."

Shadow stepped forward, realizing something. "Seven etherals…seven gems…they're the Chaos Emeralds!"

"Quite perceptive, Shadow. This is how the seven Chaos Emeralds were born. By Cristine Sisytus' hand." 

"But what about the other two, Sonic and Scramasax?" 

"I'll admit…Sonic, or Mach back then, and Scramasax gave Cristine a hell of a lot of trouble. It was an epic sweeping battle between the three. The city was but smoldering rubble after they were done with it. My mother was almost defeated by those two. She laid there on the ground, as Mach looked over her. But she had one more ace up her sleeve..."

_Cristine grinned as she sat up, appearing to be done for, finished. She had just about nothing left. Mach raised a fist in the air._

"Any last words, evil sorceress?"

"Yeah…cough I got…last…" she mutered. The woman thrust a palm onto Mach's chest, catching the hedgehog by surprise. She kept the hand there, uttering a spell out loud. "Demonus Soulitox Vesuit!"

Mach screamed in pain as white energy appeared from Cristine's arm into the hedgehog's chest. She collapsed soon after, dead. The blue hedgehog looked at his hands and over his body. "I…feel fine…what did she do to me…?"

"This is the reason I captured Sonic. He carries within him the soul of my mother. This was the only way she could live for thousands of years since she was only human, by living inside the body of an immortal. Using Scramasax's shape shifting ability and this machine as catalysts, I'm going to force this soul out of him and transfer it to THIS body…"

Another pod appeared from the floor, right beside the one Sonic was in. A large tube extended from the new pod to the hedgehog's, connecting the two together. Mathias waved his arm for the others to see. "Inside the pod is a red-robed, simply gorgeous blonde-haired woman. An uncanny facsimile of my mother. This young lady is dead, and that would make the perfect new vessel for Cristine's soul. This is the true purpose of the **Crisis** Project. The resurrection of my mother, **Cri**stine **Sis**ytus."

"What do you plan to do once you bring her to life? Rule the world with her?" Charmy asked.

"Sigh…just like the rabbit…you lack vision. Once Cristine comes back, she will bring all the deceased Aliverians back to life."

"Why?" Bean asked. "Why would she revive the very race that shunned her?"

"Don't get it wrong. Once she revives them, she will control them. They will build a New City of Aliveria…right where it was created in the first place. You all know it now as Angel Island."

"Angel Island?!" Knuckles exclaimed. "So that's where the name came from…it makes sense if you think about it…"

One twist after another. The surprises kept on going, as evidenced by the mobians' constant looks of shock.

"And why stop there? Once the floating city is completed, we'll build and expand on it on the Earth below…the whole planet will be blessed with Angels under Cristine's command. She will be the new Ruler of this era and wipe out all the filthy humans and mobians. She will usher in The New Era of the Aliverians! And! To ensure the peace, she will free the seven Etherals from their crystal confines and command them as well. The mighty beasts will be controlled to do her bidding. Nothing will be able to stop us! Hell…once we have the Earth in our grasp…we can go to other planets and have the Angels take over them as well. Mercury…Venus…Saturn…Neptune…hahaha! A whole Solar System where Angels rule supreme…can you not imagine the greatness of it all?"

"(My head is spinning…so much going on…)" Bark thought.

Vector agreed. "Got that right you think big…you're nuttier than a squirrel in an asylum. Too bad it won't…"

Suddenly, the alarm began to ring. The wall of machinery came to life. Gears churned, lights flashed, steam hissed, and the pod that imprisoned Sonic radiated a bright green. The tube that connected the two pods illuminated as well. Sonic screamed as a stream of energy flew from his mouth, along the tube, and into the inanimate woman's body next door. The blue 'hog fainted once again from all the pressure. Soon, everything stopped. The machine ceased moving. The alarm became silent. Scramasax appeared and took form once again, but fainted soon afterwards. It was too much for him as well. Mathias was already watching the woman intently; anxious if the results were in his favor.

What occurred next was simply…astonishing. The red-robed blonde woman's left hand twitched, and then her right, and soon her legs began to move. Her azure eyes opened.

"Mother……mother……are you awake…?" he asked with his jaw drooped.

A tear appeared in his eye. The pod door opened and he backed away. The 6 foot tall woman stood up and stepped out of her pod. She looked around as if she was lost.

Mathias rushed forth and embraced her in a hug. "Mom…it really is you…"

"…Yes…I'm here…my son…thank you…"

She held him close to her, like a mother with a newborn child. Mathias truly did look content. "Mom…" 

The footsteps of Tails and his crew approaching bothered him, he wasn't about to let them spoil this moment nor put his grandiose plans to a halt. The cat snapped his fingers.

snap… 

CRASH!!!

"You're not going to stop me or my mother! I have waited long enough! Ray, kill them!"

Taking the emeralds with him, Mathias and his mother hightailed it to the back of the room and boarded a pedestal. It went up to the next floor above them.

A huge silver 20 foot tall mech crashed through the west wall, and walked in front of the clique. The machine was bi-pedal, able to walk. Several missiles were equipped on its massive square shoulders. Its left hand was armed with a force cannon, and its right was equipped with a modified Celsius ray. 2 glowing red orbs were situated on the top of its hands, and 2 more on the back of its knees. The head of the machine was sleek and pointed. In the center of the head was a window, the cockpit. In that cockpit sat Ray, operating the controls with a malicious look on his face.

The squirrel waved to them. "Howdy everyone! Hey there Mighty. You like my new look?"

He looked up, taking in the intimidating view of the new weapon. "Ray! Why are you doing this?! Why are you in cahoots with Mathias?"

"And why not? Mathias' plan makes sense once you think about it. He will change everything for the better. I'm helping in the evolution of the universe, and so should you. C'mon! Join us for a new age!"

Shadow leapt forward, standing mere inches away from the metal beast. "How about no? How about I just kick your ass instead?"

"Fool. You and the old way of life shall die together then!" Ray cried, slamming a right fist into the floor, causing a tremor. The shaking knocked everyone down except the dark hedgehog.

_Boss: Ray_ (Player: **Shadow**)  
This bi-pedal monstrosity is protected by an electric shield. You can't get near Ray or you'll take damage. Watch for the ring-shaped pool. If you find yourself in the water current, quickly jump out before you get swept down below. The only time that Ray's electric shield deactivates is when he's attacking. Multiple target reticules will appear and cover the whole field, all except for one safe spot. Hurry and find that spot before you get hit by the missile barrage that follows. When its left hand lowers to fire the force cannon, move out of the way to avoid getting blown away. When its right hand lowers to fire the Celsius ray, watch for the frost spray that will freeze half the floor. The ice will remain until Ray takes damage. When Ray lifts one of its feet up high, jump as the foot comes down to avoid getting stunned by the resulting shockwave. If you get stunned, expect to get punched. There are four red orbs on its body, two on the hands and two on the back of the knees. After Ray performs any of these attacks, be swift in home attacking one of them before the shield comes back up. The orb turns blue upon a successful hit. Once you've got all four orbs blue, the machine will malfunction and fall to its knees. Here's your opportunity. Go behind him and grind along its back railing to the top. When you get there, use a homing attack on the cockpit to damage Ray. He'll scream in frustration and get back up. The process will repeat. After 4 hits, he'll move to the center and activate an anti-gravity field which will cause you to float helplessly. Maneuver toward the center while avoiding the numerous missiles launched your way. Once you get to the cockpit, Shadow will automatically attack it. You've shut down Ray for good.

Ray's machine was malfunctioning; it walked erratically and lost balance. Sounds of grinding growled from the mechanical bi-ped. The furious squirrel was jamming on the controls like mad. "Come on! Come on! WORK DAMN IT!"

Shadow watched closely as the mecha raised its left hand and tried to fire the force cannon, but surges of electricity was all it got. "Fire! FIRE!! Urgggg…"

An explosion rendered its left leg useless. It helplessly hopped on one foot to the edge of the platform.

"Ray! Watch out!" Mighty shouted.

Another explosion on its back made it fall forward…and off the platform.

"GRAGGGGGGH!!!" Ray screamed as the machine, along with him, went down into the dark below. His yells eventually faded into nothing, followed by a big splash.

Everyone ran to the edge and looked down. No sign of him, just running water.

"Ray…" Mighty said to himself as he shook his head in pity. "So naive…so easily manipulated…rest in peace my friend…"

Knuckles patted the armadillo on the back. "We'll have time to be sad later, let's go rescue Sonic, Sally and get Mathias!"

The crew ran to Sonic who was unconscious in the pod, and Sally who was asleep on the floor.

Shadow picked up Sonic in his arms and handed him to Amy. "You, take him back to the ship. Tell Rotor to get ready. We'll be returning soon."

"Okay!" she obeyed, then left the floor. She kissed the blue blur on the lips as she ran back.

Knuckles held Sally in his arms and handed her to Bunnie. "Take her back to the ship. Watch Amy's back." 

"Gotcha sugah-dreads!" she complied, and then turned to her boyfriend. "Antoine, be careful okay?"

"Don't worry."

Bunnie left and followed the female hedgehog. 

Knuckles, Vector, Espio, Charmy, Mighty, Tails, Shadow, Antoine, Bean, Bark, and Nack ran to the platform and hopped aboard. Tails pushed the 'up' button and they were on their way to the final(?) battleground. The gang arrived in a room that they would never imagine be inside a space station. 

It was like the inside of a chapel. Stain-glassed windows of angels lined the entirety of the walls. What looked like sunlight beamed down through the windows. An exquisite red carpet sat underneath their feet. You could hear the heavenly voices of a choir singing their hymns. Up in the ceiling was the famous painting straight from the Sistine chapel. Cristine Sisytus was back by the altar, hands together in prayer. The Holy Spirit was strong in here.

The steel-armored, caped Mathias was in the center of the elegant room with his arms crossed. He stood there, protecting his mother.

"I really have to give credit where credit is due. I never thought you mobians would have made it this far, especially past Ray."

Mighty and Bark clenched their fists together.

"You can't beat me. You won't stop my plan. And you'll certainly die."

"You might as well give it up Mathy." Hardback said. "If Ray and that big freaking machine can be beat, you're certainly a cakewalk." 

"Yeah." Knuckles agreed.

"That's right." Nack chimed in.

"This oughtta be easy." Shadow commented. 

Vector laughed. "Haha. Bring it on furball." 

"C'mon."

"Yeah. Bring it on."

The cat trembled in anger, his hands started to shake. He didn't appreciate being mocked.

"You……you…….IDIOTS!! You are NOTHING compared to me!! I DIDN'T WAIT FOR TWELVE DAMN MILLENIA TO GET BEAT BY SOME PUNK MOBIAN EARTHLINGS!! URGGGGAAAHHHH!!!"

Mathias balled his fists out in front of him. Without a low beastly growl, then a booming shout, his armor shattered and fell to the floor in pieces. It turns out that the cat wasn't remotely fat at all, but an awesome tower of muscle. He was ripped. The feline was chiseled to perfection. His wings shot out from his shoulders and spread out in an impressive 8 foot span. Feathers fluttered softly in the air. He stared them down with burning eyes. Mathias was an absolutely fine specimen of Aliverian. 

"Now…" he snarled, unsheathing the Black Jackal blade. He held it out to his left side. "Who wants to DIE first?"

"Try me." Antoine answered, stepping up from his pals and holding the White Coyote blade to his right.

Shadow spoke. "Don't worry Antoine. I got your back."

The coyote pointed his sword at his opponent. "This is for Station Square, Sandblast City, as well as parts of the world that have been destroyed by your selfish ideals."

"Selfish? We're cleansing the world of those inferior humans and mobians. Aliverians are free of disease and pestilence. It will be a better place without them."

"Our world may not be perfect, but we're happy with it. We learn to live with our limitations. The time of the Angels is long past, deal with it. We 'inferior' beings are here to stay."

"We'll see about that. Kit's student. White Coyote."

"…So you've noticed. The ancient writing on my blade eh? I see you're one of his students too."

"Correct. Well, this is certainly most interesting. No doubt this will be my finest battle yet. We shall see who's superior."

Antoine and Mathias held their swords up into an offensive posture and rushed into each other. On one side was a timid underdog who found courage within himself. He was a coyote that went through trials and tribulations to gain power. On the other side was the vengeful son of a discriminated mother. He was a determined cat that will stop at nothing to mold the universe in his vision. Fate has guided the both of them to wield a sword. Two of Kit Ri's best students clash together for the future of the world and beyond.

_Boss: Mathias - The Merciless Aliverian_ (Player: **Antoine** and **Shadow**)  
As you might've guessed, this epic battle will be your most difficult yet. Mathias is NOT to be taken lightly. This conflict will be split into two parts. Antoine will go first. Mathias will run around the room releasing fast horizontal and vertical energy waves from his sword, Egg Emperor-style. You can't block these, so it's best to keep your distance. He'll toss his sword which will randomly spin around the room, which will also shoot lightning bolts. He will constantly try to shoulder tackle you while his shooting weapon twirls through the area. There are two conditions that must be met if you want to hurt him. One, your sword has to be on fire. There are lit candles at the corners of the room. Go to one and swing at it to light it up. The flames will disappear after 30 seconds. Two, Mathias can not have his sword equipped. If you try to hit him while he has his sword, he'll block it guaranteed. If you keep pressuring him with attacks, he'll even counter by grabbing your sword and throwing it across the room. You'll be left defenseless. Hurry and retrieve White Coyote if this happens. When Mathias chucks his sword, rush him with your fire blade until he gets his weapon back. Just be wary of the roving blade and the lightning shots. The cat takes a lot of punishment, so be patient and keep it up. Once you've got Mathias' life bar down to half, he'll unveil his Angelic Whirlwind technique. Haul ass and retreat to one of the four corners of the room. Stay there. The feline's sword lights up with feathers, and he will revolve it at a frightening speed. A massive tornado will form, engulfing anyone in a holy storm. Run in the opposite direction to avoid getting sucked in. If you get caught in it, you'll be thrown up high, high into the air…get sliced up by a hundred razor sharp feathers…then back down to a horrible crash landing. This unblockable attack will inflict 50 percent damage to your life. When Mathias' life bar gets down to one-fourth, he'll get angry. His attack, defense, and speed will increase. Be extra, extra careful. Once you've get the Aliverian's life down to zero, he'll lose his sword. Shadow will jump in and replace Antoine. A checkpoint will be granted.

If you thought Mathias was tough before, just wait. He's just as dangerous without his Black Jackal. A second life bar will appear. You'll have to whittle that down to zero to defeat him. Mathias will summon two golden hoops that will revolve around the room. These hoops have a 20 second fuse. They will go from gold, to orange, to red, and then emit an unavoidable radial blast. If you want to prevent that from happening, jump through the hoops. It'll reset their fuses. Not only do you have to watch out for Mathias and his attacks, you'll have to 'babysit' the hoops to keep them from hurting you. The feline has access to some deadly Aliverian magic, including summoning light rays from above. Watch for the shadows that appear and dodge them, these are where they'll strike. He'll also fly high in the air and try to divebomb you. When Mathias creates a large white orb, it'll slowly follow you around the room. This is your shot. Aim and spindash the orb so it bounces back to him. He'll be stunned temporarily and hold his stomach. Use a homing attack to knock him on his ass. He'll continue to be stunned and cover his face. Use a spindash to the breadbasket to knock him flat on his back. Finally, jump so that you're above Mathias and push B to use your bounce attack right on him. Do all this correctly and you'll inflict damage. After 3 hits, he'll start casting a black hole regularly. These will suck you in and cause instant death, even if you have rings. Run from it as soon as you see one until it disappears. After 2 more hits, he'll cast the entire field in a pink glow. Bad news, your directional controls are reversed for the remainder of the fight. Good news, damage Mathias one more time to finish him. I imagine it's quite difficult to keep the hoops happy, avoid the black holes, dodge his rays and divebombs, and hit him in a specific pattern…all while your controls are reversed. Just remember…one more hit is all it takes. Suck it up. You'll pull through. Congratulations, you've defeated Mathias.

Antoine was snarling. His fur was blood-stained and mangy; his canine teeth gleamed in the light. It was the same with Mathias. The two of them rushed in again and showed off an impressive display of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal strikes. As well as blocking and dodging. 

Then, the two charged into each other once more. Swords pointed forth.

"URGGGAAAAHHH!!"

"TAKE THIIIIIIS!!"

The White Coyote and Black Jackal blades clashed incredibly hard…and have broken with a split second flash. Shards of their swords scattered everywhere. Both Antoine and Mathias flew back from the impact and landed in thuds.

The coyote closed his eyes and rubbed his head, feeling as if he just awoke from a deep sleep. "Where…where am I? Oy…sacre bleu…my head eez pounding like a packhammer, non?"

"That's jackhammer Antoine." Shadow corrected.

"Hey! Your voice…it's French!" Tails exclaimed.

"Of course eet eez French! But…where are we, mon ami?"

"Neo Ark. You and Shadow just defeated Mathias over there."

"Zee last thing I remember is Kit handing me my sword on Blue Mountain…"

Mathias was rubbing his noggin as well, his mind was clouded. "What…what happened? Ooh…my…my head…ah…" he asked in that familiar dopey tone.

Knuckles pointed. "Big…err…Mathias…whatever! Your voice! It's back to normal!"

"Where……am I?" the confused cat asked.

Mighty had a dumbfounded look on his face. "This has got to be a joke. We're in Neo Ark." 

"…Re…really?"

"Yes we are."

"What happened?"

"You seriously don't remember?"

"…No…I don't…"

"I think I get it now…" Tails told everyone. "Those swords that Antoine and Mathias wielded must've been controlling them somehow. Now that they're broken, their minds are free once again."

"Controlling…us?" Ant asked. "Does zat mean theez…Kit Ri has been manipulating us all theez time…but why?"

"Kit Ri…" Big muttered. "That's what you call him?"

"Yeah…that's his name, non?" 

"His nickname. His real name is Nathaniel. He's my dad." 

"What?! That old Siamese cat is one of those Angeles things too?"

"Yeah…"

"Why is he doing theez to us?"

"I don't know…"

Cristine Sisytus chuckled to herself. "(While those fools are busy…I'll make my escape…)" After swiping the bag of emeralds into her possession, she covered herself in a column of light and disappeared.

"Shoot!" Vector finally realized as he ran toward her position. "We let her escape. And she still has the emeralds!"

Bark grumbled. "Damn. Oh well…at least we have Sonic, Sally, and our old pal Big back with us."

"We'll worry about her later." Bean added.

Suddenly, a loud siren whooped.

"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. EVACUATE TO THE NEAREST EXIT. EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. EVACUATE TO THE NEAREST EXIT. 10 MINUTES REMAINING…I REPEAT…10 MINUTES REMAINING…"

Nack took off his cowboy hat to fan himself. "That doesn't sound too good…"

Shadow looked up. "Shoot! Someone must've activated the alarm." 

Tails ran back to the elevator and signaled for everyone to come along. "Let's get out of here! We can ponder these turns of events later!"

The crew of mobians, including the still lightheaded Big, went down the elevator to the bottom floor of the Master Tower. Red lights and whoops were everywhere. Not a SWATbot in sight. The place was deserted. Scramasax still lied on the floor motionless…

7 MINUTES REMAINING…

The crew made a beeline across the bridge to the Sector A hangar, where Rotor had the ship warmed up and ready to go.

4 MINUTES REMAINING…

One by one, the hurrying mobians went on board. Sally and Sonic were next to each other, awake in the front row thanks to Rotor's smelling salts. Bunnie was in the back row. Amy, naturally, was beside Sonic as well.

"Hold on!" the blue blur yelled. "What's the bad guy doing here?!"

"Relax. Big's back on our side now." Tails replied. "He was manipulated. So was Antoine. By their master."

"No kidding…"

"No, I'm not."

The winged feline blushed. "Sorry if I was trouble, you guys."

Everyone turned to him with an unflattering smirk.

"…What?"

"Sugah-Twan! You're safe!" 

The coyote sat down beside Bunnie in the back row. They were tight in a hug. "I missed you, mon chere. Your beautiful voice eez like zee bell that rings in my heart."

"…You're….you're back! That unmistakable accent..."

The rest of the seats were quickly filled up with the Chaotix, the Down Unda crew, Tails, Shadow, Big, Amy, and Sonic. Quickly, they've buckled up and held on tight. The structure around them started to shake violently. It wasn't long before Neo Ark would become a thing of the past.

1 MINUTE REMAINING…

"Step on it Rotor!" Amy ordered. 

"Right on it!" With a few flips of the switches, the walrus turned the wheel to steer the ship 180 degrees. It faced toward the reaches of space. With more flips, the ship hovered above the floor.

"Alright everyone! Hang on tight! 3...2...1...GO!"

With a blast, the ship's thrusters glowed bright blue and sped off with a successful escape.

10 SECONDS REMAINING. 9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...0...

Neo Ark, formerly a space station, exploded with a single glorious bang. It was like watching the equivilent of a supernova. The Space Fox passengers watched in awe at the extravagant finish to such a stronghold. It nearly blinded them. After the lights and fanfare had receded, there was nothing left. Nothing left but space, stars, and memories.

"All's well that ends well!" Nack confidently said, twirling the Revolver like a expert gunslinger.

"Not quite." Shadow told the weasel. "There's still the matter of Cristine Sisytus out there…and she has the emeralds. What just happened at Neo Ark was nothing more than a prelude to something even greater…"

The ship became silent…for this was unfortunately true.

"So what in the hoo-hah we do now?" Bunnie asked.

Sally raised her hand. "Let's go the Castle of Acorn. My dad, King Maxmillian Acorn, should help us out. Besides, Antoine and Big will need new swords."

"Sounds alright to me." Vector nodded.

Espio didn't mind either. "I don't have a problem."

Nack's eye had a split-second spark. "Hey…kings are rich, right?"

"NACK. SHUT UP!" roared the entire Space Fox clan.

"Next stop…good ol' Earth…to King Max's castle!" Rotor called.

Sonic and Tails smiled at each other, glad to be finally reunited. Knuckles smiled at them. Sally smiled at the two as well. The grin spread like a virus throughout the ship. They couldn't help but feel good about Sonic's return. Regardless of what has happened in the hedgehog's past, everyone was just glad to have him back on the team. The Space Fox continued the journey back to their home planet. Good times. They were happy. For now.

**_Next Chapter: The Return_**


	15. The Return

**Chapter 15 - The Return**

He sat in his rightful place in the magnificent Throne Room. The statue-like Royal Guard squirrels stood in perfect twin lines down the sides of the room, not letting a single thing make them flinch.

King Maximillian Acorn, the ever upstanding 62 year old, wore a blue uniform adorned with gold medals from the numerous wars he had fought in. His shoulders were lined with gold tassels, and his shining suede tan boots made his stature a few inches taller. Acorn's soft blue eyes, bushy white eyebrows, and thick white mustache hid his tough demeanor well. His pallid gloves were pure, not a speck of dust on them. He had a holster for his Royal Sword, but it was empty. The weapon sat up high in the center of the room on a mantle. Hardly used anymore.

All was the typical peace and quiet of the kingdom, until a group of Acorn's own soldiers noisily stormed into the room in front of the King's presence. They had urgent looks on their faces.

Max stood up in alarm. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

"Your Majesty! A large ship is approaching our castle! We haven't seen anything quite like it!"

"Alright. Gather up the troops! Hold your positions! I want to see this ship for myself."

It was a cloudy day today, the unusually darker sky made it appear like it was ready to rain. Quite a rare sight around these parts. The trees swayed violently as the Space Fox made its descent on the north side of a lake outside the castle. As the ship descended lower, more and more soldiers gathered on the other side of the water. Nearly 50 of them brandished their swords, ready if a battle would occur. Eventually, King Acorn himself stood among his army. His Royal Sword in hand.

The futuristic ship landed successfully, and the engines soon died along with the ripples of the lake. Quiet soon followed. The door opened and transformed into a ramp, and soon enough, the mobians stepped off the ship onto the grass below.

King Acorn couldn't believe his eyes. "…S…Sally?"

She smiled upon seeing her father, and ran toward him. Max dropped his sword as he ran toward his daughter. They embraced in a warm hug halfway between the ship and the troops.

"Dad…I'm so glad to see you."

"Likewise Sally. Where on Earth have you been? And what IS that ship?"

"Where on Earth you ask? We've been in outer space, dad."

"…Really?!" 

"Yeah. It's a long story. I'll tell you later. That ship over there is the Space Fox. It belongs to the Station Square President. He let us use it."

The crew walked up and stood among Sally. Soon, all of them gave their respective bows to the man before them.

"Yo…Your Majesty…" Tails said.

Max chuckled to himself at their sincerity. "No no…it's not necessary. Thank you for the gesture anyway. I'm King Maximillian Acorn. I assume you all are friends of my Princess Sally?"

"Yes we are!" the blue hedgehog replied. "I'm Sonic."

"I'm Tails."

"Knuckles…and this is the Chaotix clique. That crocodile over there is Vector. This is Charmy, Mighty, and Espio." 

"I'm Bark. Pleasure to meet you…and to my left is Bean here, and to my right is pain-in-the-ass Nack."

"Ex-CUSE me?" the weasel asked, looking in his direction.

"My name is Shadow. Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Name's Amy. Quite a nice place you got here!"

"Mathi…uh…just call me Big."

Sally pointed to her three longtime friends. "And you already know Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor there, dad." 

"I see…well…this is quite a crew we've got here. Well Sally, I'm sure you have much to tell me. By the way, are any of you hungry?"

The collective answer was a definite 'yes'. Vector's stomach growled the loudest.

Sonic patted his tummy, feeling hunger starting to take over. "Now that you mention it your Kinglyness, we've haven't ate in quite a while." 

"Good! I shall have a feast prepared, and you all can tell me all about your adventures while we dine. David Kaiser!"

"YES SIR!" an eager young recruit shouted, standing in a perfect stance. 

"Inform the chefs. Tell them to whip up a grand feast for our friends here."

"AT ONCE SIR!" he shouted again, then ran back toward the castle.

"AS FOR THE REST OF YOU, RETURN TO YOUR POSTS!"

"AT ONCE SIR!" they announced. They efficiently formed single file and marched back.

"Well then!" Max grinned. "Shall we get going? Here…let me guide you all to my castle. My home."

The mobian crew followed Max from the lake to the awesome stone stronghold. It was your usual daunting castle, complete with stone walls, a moat and stretching towers. They walked across the lowered drawbridge into its equally impressive interior of the Throne Room. Banners adorning the Acorn symbol hung graciously down the walls. The red carpet snaked from the entrance right up to the chair itself. The guards had stood back in their respective positions.

"This is the Throne Room, everyone. That's where I sit and look important." Max told them with a little laugh.

Sally and her friends had been here before. Everyone else was pretty amazed, as evidenced by their expressions.

"Bling…bling…" Vector muttered.

Sonic looked around like a kid in a candy store. "So this is what a king's castle looks like…very very cool."

Max made a right through a door on the right side into the eastern hallway. He made the first left through another door into the Dining Room. A huge polished table dressed with various decorations was in the center, complete with enough chairs for the King and the mobians.

"Here is the Dining Room, where we will dine. Until the food is prepared you all are free to explore the castle. There are a couple of restricted areas, which I am sure the guards will notify you about if you get too close. I'll let you know when the food is ready, and you can come back here. Understood?"

"We got it." Knuckles answered.

Antoine nodded. "Sure theeng Monsieur Acorn."

"Well then…go right ahead and make yourselves at home! I'll be in the Throne Room."

After a long period of stasis in the pod, Sonic felt real good as he bent down and stretched himself out. He was finally able to do what he pleased, ever since being abducted back on Angel Island. Free as the wind. The hedgehog felt a burning within himself…like a Phoenix ready to rise from the ashes… His etheral powers are beginning to awaken… 

Sonic learned Super Tornado! Push right on the C stick to create a massive blue funnel of wind. It will confuse all enemies in a wide area. It costs 40 percent of the Burst Meter.

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
King Max's castle will be your base of operations. This is the ONLY adventure field in the game, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to do. You will able to do a variety of things here, inside and outside the fortress. You can talk to the mobians lounging and walking around. Let's start with your status screen. Press start to pause the game. You'll see these choices:

**Resume, Status, Quit**

Go to Status and you'll see a list of the 6 playable characters. (Shadow isn't included.)

**Sonic   
Tails  
Knuckles  
Antoine  
Sally  
Nack**

Pick a character by pressing the A button and you'll see that character's statistics. Here's what Sonic's status looks like as an example.

**Name: Sonic  
Level: 4  
Score: 74,000   
Next Lv: 6,000  
Rings: 609  
Avg. Grade: B  
C-up: Tails Air Lift  
C-down: Tails Risky Item  
C-left: Tails Antidote   
C-right: Super Tornado  
T1: Spin Dash Plus  
T2: Speed Demon**

Here's a quick explanation of your status.

**Score**: Your points. Earn them by getting ring bonuses and time bonuses at the end of stages, as well as smashing enemies.

**Level**: Your experience level. The higher the score, the higher the level. Higher levels mean higher overall power, speed, and length of invincibility time after getting hit. Note that your power will have no bearing on boss battles. Bosses will take the same amount of hits regardless. The character starts the game at level 1. Your level increases every 20,000 points. The maximum experience level is 10. 

**Next Lv**: Points needed to reach the next level. 

**Rings**: Rings your character has accumulated thus far. Only rings in possession upon completing a stage will count toward the character's total.

**Avg. Grade**: Your average grade of all the levels/missions your character has completed. A, B, C, D, or E. The higher the grade, the better the discount at the Trinkets store (explained later).

**C-up, C-down, C-left, C-right**: C stick commands. You can customize these to your liking.

**T1, T2**: Your Trinkets. This is customizable as well. Only 2 can be equipped on a character at a time. Purchase these at the Trinkets store.

Trinkets are tokens that bestow the wearer with certain abilities. You can purchase these at the shop inside the castle's 2nd floor. These trinkets will cost rings. Hopefully you've gathered a sizable amount during your adventure, because these don't come cheap. Once you've purchased a trinket, equip it on a character for it to take effect. Remember that a maximum of 2 can be equipped on a character. Sonic's abilities can only be purchased with Sonic's rings, Tails' abilities can only be purchased with Tails' rings, etc. Here's the list of trinkets, their ring cost, and their functions.

Sonic:  
Spin Dash Plus (500): Spin dash power is increased.  
Homing Attack Plus (700): Homing attack power is increased.  
Sneakers Plus (300): Sneaker monitor effect is twice as long.  
Invincibility Plus (700): Invincibility monitor effect is twice as long.  
Speed Demon (1000): Collecting rings at top speed greatly increases Burst charge.   
Burst Plus (1200): Burst Mode time is increased by 50 percent. 

Tails:  
Frame Upgrade (800): In the flight levels, Tails' ship's life bar is increased by 25 percent.  
Super Boost (600): In the flight levels, Tails' use of speed boost is enhanced.  
Guard Reinforce (650): Ship defense is increased by 20 percent, flying levels only.  
Shield Plus (500): If Tails get hit while having a shield, there's a 25 percent chance he won't lose it.  
Rhythm Badge (300): Hold B to spin around, analog stick to move.  
Burst Plus (1100): Burst Mode time is increased by 40 percent.

Knuckles:   
Red Hot (600): Burst meter charge rate increases by 10 percent.   
Stunner (700): A punch has a 20 percent chance of stunning.   
Chaotix Power! (500): Chaotix's moves are more effective.  
Hang Time (700): Collecting rings during a glide greatly increases Burst charge.  
Burst Plus (1300): Burst Mode time is increased by 60 percent.

Antoine:  
Toughen Up (600): Antoine's Max HP is increased by 15 percent.  
Yojimbo's Spirit (650): Dashing speed is doubled.  
Rest (700): Standing still slowly recovers HP.  
Combo Plus (800): One hit is automatically added to combos.  
Burst Plus (1000): Burst Mode time is increased by 30 percent.

Nack:   
Tactical Reload (600): Reload time is cut in half.  
Ring Plus (650): Ring monitor values are increased by 5.  
AP Ammo (700): Bullets pierce through enemies, also damaging those behind.   
Sharpshooter (950): A shot has a 10 percent chance of causing instant death. Bosses are a no-no.  
Burst Plus (900): Burst Mode time is increased by 20 percent.

Sally:  
Advice (250): Stand still long enough and Nicole will give advice.  
Blink (500): After getting hit, invincibility period is doubled.  
Checkpoint Plus (350): Awarded a random powerup at checkpoints.  
Burst Plus (600): Burst Mode time is increased by 50 percent.

The prices listed above are if your characters' Average Grade is E (which is a no discount). Having a D average gives you a 2 percent discount. C gets you a 5 percent discount. B is a 10 percent discount. A is a 20 percent discount.

There are areas outside the castle you can also visit. On the west side is King Max's airport where his air force resides. There's a portal there that leads to Chao World, where you do the usual chao raising and whatnot. On the southern side is the forest where you can enter a blue portal. This portal allows access to any of the previous levels you have completed. You can go for a better grade, collect some more rings, complete missions…etc. On the eastern side is the lake, where you can go fishing. There are several kinds of fish you can catch including trout, bass, mackerel, minnows, and so on. After you catch a fish, go to the kitchen inside the castle and give it to the chef. Depending on the fish he'll give you a certain amount of rings, ranging from 5 to 100. Or if you catch a rare kind of fish and give it to him, he'll even unlock games such as Sonic CD or Knuckles' Chaotix. On the north side is the flower field. You can sit back and relax. Nothing here…yet. 

Once a certain amount of time elapses, a red marker will appear in the Dining Room. Go here to continue the story…

All the mobians gathered inside the Dining Room for the big feast planned by King Max. Their eyes shined and their mouths watered at the sight of turkey, glazed ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, hot buttered rolls, apple pie, fruit juice, and cranberry sauce…all laid out in an exquisite manner only fit for royalty. All were ready to dig in, except for Nack. The weasel crossed his arms with a disgusted look on his face. Something was on his mind.

King Max rose up and raised a glass in a toast. "My dear Sally, as well as her friends, I'm sure you all have a fascinating story to tell…and there's no better way to tell it during a grand dinner such as this…" 

Nack rolled his eyes.

"Now let us dig in! Let the grand feast begin!"

"ALRIGHT!"

In a frenetic yet orderly manner, the food was passed and served around the table. Turkey, ham, and the fixings were handed back and forth, to and fro between the guests. That weasel didn't move.

"Pass the stuffing." Amy told Bark.

"Ham please." Shadow said to Bunnie.

"That cranberry sauce sure looks good!" Charmy smiled.

"Hey Vector! Don't bogart the rolls! I want some too!" Espio yelled.

"You'll get yours! Just wait!" 

Mighty raised a hand. "Yo Rotor! Hook me up with some gravy please!"

"Gotcha covered."

"This apple pie smells really delicious, your Kinglyness!" Sonic told him.

Soon enough the plates were full. King Max and everyone else began enjoying their dinner at the table.

"This turkey is great! Really tender and juicy." Amy complimented.

Tails shoved a spoonful in his mouth. "This is the first time I've had mashed potatoes, and I've got to say this stuff is awesome!"

Knuckles had drawn a few stares as he inhaled the meal in front of him. Sonic got a few as well as he devoured his. He ate as fast as he ran. 

Mighty's mouth was in an euphoria of flavor. He couldn't believe what he was tasting. "I'm REALLY lovin' the cranberry sauce. Compliments to the chef."

Max took a small sip of his fruit juice. "Yes…Chef Edward is quite a talented man. He's been serving us for about a decade now. Hasn't lost his touch." 

"THESE BUTTERED ROLLS ARE THE BOMB!" Vector hollered. He almost fell out of his seat.

"…Bomb?" the King asked, confused.

Espio translated. "He means it's good." 

"Oh."

"Best stuffing I've ever had." Bark said, licking the remains from his lips. His plate had the most food on it.

Words and the occasional food item were exchanged as all the mobians, except one, took his/her turn at telling His Majesty their incredible journey. It was quite a tale. It all began from how Bark, Bean, and Nack nearly escaped with their lives from the Down Unda Mafia, to Sonic & Tails' escapades in Sandblast City, the destruction of Station Square, Antoine graduating to a full-fledged samurai, Sally and her friends meeting with the Wolf Pack, how they all met at the Angel Island Congregation Hall, Knuckles and the Chaotix searching continents for Chaos Emeralds, fighting alongside G.U.N. in an all-out war against Ranoc's troops, pursuing missing friends and gems, exposing the traitors in their midst, traveling through space in the futuristic Space Fox, infiltrating a highly-guarded Neo Ark, learning the truth about an ancient race, discovering what Sonic really was, not to mention a narrow escape from destruction, and that woman who got away…that sinister woman… 

Max had long stopped eating after hearing the entire story. He was stunned at the sheer magnitude of it all. "My word…I…I…I don't know what to say…Sally…"

"It's okay Dad…you don't need to say anything…I'm sorry if I worried you." 

"Princess…"

"Your Majesty…"

"If you don't mind…" Mathias cleared his throat. "I'd like to use one of your swords Mr. Acorn."

"May I ask why?" 

"I'm going to Blue Mountain to demand some answers from my dad. There must be a reasonable explanation why he manipulated me into doing his will. Why he wanted me to resurrect my mother." 

"Is that so? I'll have one of my guards show you to the armory. Our swords are one of the finest you'll find in the world." 

"Thank you…I'll see you all later." Mathias politely excused himself and left the Dining Room with a Royal Guard escort. 

Sonic and most of the mobians waved goodbye. "See ya Big." 

"I'M SICK OF THIS CRAP!!" someone rudely interrupted, slamming a fist into the table. The utensils clanged loudly.

King Maxmillian was quickly angered and stood up from his chair. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS OUTBURST?"

Nack stood up as well. "The meaning of this outburst? Oh I tell ya. I'M TIRED OF PLAYING A SISSIFIED GOODY-GOODY. I'VE BUSTED MY ASS IN THAT ISLAND WAR, I'VE BUSTED MY ASS IN NEO ARK. FOR DAYS I'VE PLAYED THE 'HERO', RISKING MY LIFE FOR YOU IDIOTS, AND WHAT DO I GET AFTER ALL THIS? NOT A DAMN THING!! I'M A MERCENARY. I WORK TO GET PAID. I WORK FOR THE HIGHEST BIDDER. I'M THROUGH WITH THIS!"

The weasel hissed as he pushed the chair into the table, and then headed toward the door. He was irritated.

Bark and Bean stood up as well and stepped in his way, trying to consul him.

"Calm down. Let's talk about this." the duck said.

"Yeah little rat. Chill. Let's work something out."

"PISS OFF! I'M THROUGH WITH YA!" he snapped, shoving both of his former friends out of the way. He left through the door and slammed it behind him. He was gone. 

The polar bear and duck sighed and shook their heads.

"Thanks for everything Mr. Acorn. Sorry about that." Bark said. The two left out of the Dining Room. The Down Unda crew was no longer present.

Everyone else remained speechless. Shadow excused himself and headed for the door as well.

"Where're you going?" Sonic asked.

"I'm going for a stroll. I need to walk off this food. Thanks for the dinner Your Majesty." he said, then was gone.

"Well…" Max told everyone. "That was quite unexpected."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Sally said. "He's selfish anyway."

"I see…" Max nodded, rubbing his chin. "Hmm…well…you all are free to explore the castle once again. There are some things I need to attend to. I thank you for attending the Royal Feast."

With that, he gracefully bowed and left through the same door as the others. The rest of the mobians left as well and scattered throughout the grounds.

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sonic**)  
It's time for free roaming once again. Do whatever you like. When you're ready, go and meet Tails. He will be sitting by the lake.

The fox sat at the edge of the water, skipping rocks across the surface. He sighed to himself. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. 

Sonic approached and stood behind him. "What's up little buddy?"

"Hey Sonic…" he said, not sounding enthusiastic.

"Heard from Amy that you lead the mobians for my rescue. That's very cool."

"Yeah…" he replied, against not sounding upbeat.

"Amy also told me you did a fine job doing it too. Even without me, you rose up and became a good leader. You managed to pilot that Space Fox through enemy territory no problem. The crew couldn't have done it with you."

"Yeah…" 

"I'm really proud of you Tails. Really, I am. I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for you. You know that right?" 

"Yeah…"

The hedgehog sat down beside Tails, leaning and looking at his concerned face. "What's wrong?" 

"…"

"Tails?"

"Sonic…we trust each other, right?"

"Of course!"

"And…we're best friends, right?"

"No doubt in my mind."

"Then…" 

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you were an Etheral? Why didn't you tell me you were immortal? Why didn't you tell me everything that has happened back then? You kept things from me. I feel that…you don't trust me. That's what I'm concerned about."

"It's 12,000 year old news. I didn't think it was that important."

"Well…that '12,000 year old news' has come back with a vengeance."

"Look Tails. You gotta see things from my side. 12,000 years is a long, long, long, looooooong time. I've made countless friends through my life…and out of all those friends, you're the best one, easily." 

"Tch…"

"You think living forever is all fun? You know what the saddest part of being immortal is? Seeing those very friends of yours die…generation after generation…seeing the ones who you've spent the best years with pass on. While I'm still here…remaining the same…never growing old. You think this is something I could just easily share?"

"…"

"It's not like you won't find out someday anyway. When you, Knuckles, Amy, and everyone else will grow old and start to grow beards and hobble around with walking sticks…while I stay as jumpy and upbeat as ever. You know something's up."

"Heh…" Tails managed to smile, just a bit.

"Regardless of what happened in the past, we're still best friends Tails. Always have, always will. Nothing will ever change that. Remember all the good times we've had together?"

"…Yeah…I'm sorry Sonic…I didn't think it was such a burden on you."

"That's okay. I understand how you feel."

"Thanks."

"So…are we cool?"

"…Yeah. We're cool."

Sonic and Tails gave each other a nice little high-five. Friends forever. 

"Aww…well isn't this touching…" said a voice.

The blue hedgehog and fox turned around. It was Shadow.

"Hey Shadow…what's up?" Sonic asked.

"Sonic, could I have a…moment with you?"

"Uhh…sure."

"Meet me at the flower field north of the castle, when you're ready." 

"Uh…Okay…"

Shadow gave a slight grin and nod, then walked away.

Sonic stood back up and patted Tails on the head. "I'll see you later, little buddy. I'm gonna go see what Shadow wants."

"Alright Sonic." he replied, and then resumed to tossing pebbles across the lake.

At the nearby Airport west of the castle, Knuckles and the Chaotix had already boarded a private jet with one of Acorn's pilots at the helm ready to go. Their destination: Angel Island. The King had stood by with his hands behind his back, standing straight up in that Royal posture.

Mighty and Charmy were fighting over a window seat. The bee's wings had finally grown back, but he didn't notice them quite yet.

"Are you sure we can't convince you to stay Knuckles?" Max asked.

"Nah. That's okay. The whole Angel Island War and the Neo Ark episode got us stressed out. Me and the gang are gonna relax for a while. Besides, I'll need to see if Angel Island is still okay. It's my home ya know."

"I understand."

Espio was sharpening a shuriken between his fingers with an edge knife. "Don't worry Maximillian. If things go wrong, let us know. We'll be back before you know it."

"I'll broadcast it if something happens."

"Peace out King Maxim!" Vector shouted.

Knuckles and the Chaotix waved goodbye and closed the door shut. The King walked up to the cockpit and gave the thumbs up to the pilot, initiating the startup of the engine. The private jet lifted up then zoomed down the runway and off into the cloudy sky. Max stood and watched until it was gone.

Sally and Rotor were already in Knothole, about a quarter-mile south of the castle. Since it was peaceful for now, there was no harm in checking out their 'home'. Everything was where they had left it. No one had found their little hideout since they were gone.

"It's good to be back, eh Nicole?"

"QUITE, SALLY."

The chipmunk/squirrel checked on Bunnie's carrot garden. They weren't looking any better. Rotor was already hopelessly lost in his unfinished inventions. He was back in his workshop tweaking and fixing with his tools.

"Ahh…home sweet home…" he said to himself.

Sally stepped inside the shop and was immediately interested in what the walrus was doing. "Wow…you don't waste any time. What cha inventing now, Rotor?"

"A modified rocket launcher."

"Rocket launcher? What for?" 

"Well…this isn't used to destroy anything. Technically it's more like a firework launcher."

Sally pointed to the large bullet-shaped objects on the worktable. "And those?"

"I'm creating these special shells. These are designed exclusively for the launcher. Each shell will have a different effect as far as color and light patterns."

"Sounds neat, but what made you think of making something like this?"

"It's just for fun. Besides, you'll never know when it might be needed."

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
When you're ready, go to the flower field and meet Shadow. 

Shadow was there with his arms crossed, looking into the mountain range far into the distance. The field of lilies he stood in swayed with a soft rhythm to the breeze caressing them. The cloudy sky above slowly churned and rumbled, as if warning of a possible thunderstorm.

The sound of Sonic's footsteps was enough to make the dark hedgehog turn around. His eyes stared at him, yet his face remained friendly. Sonic looked at him with a questionable look on his face. The two stood at opposite ends of the large flower field.

"Hey…Shadow…you wanted to see me here?" 

"Correct…and thanks for coming."

"You're welcome. So, what's this little meeting all about?"

Shadow smiled as he took a couple steps forward, into the daisies. "Mathias said you were an Etheral…an immortal…like me. Is that what he said…true?"

Sonic looked off to the side with a smirk. "Yeah…it's true. He's got my number."

"You and I…hmm hmm…I remember when we first met…when we first saw each other…we both thought of one another as mere fakers. A wannabe of the other."

"Yep…I remember it all like it was yesterday. Such good times." the blue hedgehog said, taking his first step into the flowers.

Shadow took another step forth. "Now it turns out…we are alike. A symmetry. We were both created by wise men with ambitions. We possess great power. We can live forever…without fear of limitations."

Sonic did the same. "Too true, too true…so uhh…what's your point?"

The two hedgehogs continued walking until there were right in each other's faces. The wind picked up significantly, making the daisies dance wildly. The cloudy sky above seemed to have grown darker. A few trickles of rain had started to fall, hitting their bodies.

Shadow pointed at him. "I want to fight you."

Sonic almost stepped back. "What?! You want to fight me?"

"Relax. We're not fighting to kill each other. I just want to test your power. As immortals, I'd like to know where I stand against you. No harm in that. Right?"

"Just a friendly competition eh?" 

"Just a friendly competition."

Almost simultaneously, Sonic and Shadow performed a backflip and made some distance between them. The blue hedgehog stretched himself out again, while the dark one cracked his knuckles and neck with a grin. As if on cue, the rain fell harder and the first flash of lightning illuminated the sky. The daisies twitched slightly with the impact of raindrops. For a simple confrontation between pals, the weather represented the situation as rather grim.

Shadow ducked into a three point stance. "Are you ready Sonic?"

Sonic remained cool and stood firm. "I was born ready!"

_Boss: Shadow_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
There's no music in this battle. It's just nothing but the sounds of nature. Kick back. Relax. Don't even consider this a boss fight. Consider it as a friendly rivalry between friends. You won't lose a life if you die. Shadow won't even attack until you do. You can walk around if you wish, and the black hedgehog will also walk, maintaining the same distance between you two. While you're at it, you can take in the sights before you duke it out: The stormy sky above, the lovely daisies below, the wind and rain, the mountain range afar…alright, now you're ready. Once you make the first strike, it's on. Shadow is pretty easy to defeat. He can spin dash and home attack like you. You can't damage him right away though. There are two ways to hurt him. One, hit him with your newly acquired Super Tornado. Or two, hit him while in Burst Mode. Your Burst Meter will slowly fill during this fight. When Shadow gets into a defensive stance, DO NOT attack him. If you do he'll execute his Dark Bomb technique. He'll grab you in your ball form and kick you high up into the sky, then he'll jump up and catch you in mid-air. Next he'll throw you down into the ground with a powerful slam. Not only do you lose your rings, it'll send your Burst Meter down to 0. Not a good thing. Wait until he performs his Dark Tornado (stay away from him) or Dark Thrust (run to the side). After he does one of these moves, he'll be left open for a few seconds. Do your Blue Tornado/Burst Mode thing to damage him. After 3 hits, it's over. 

The friendly fight continued as Sonic came strong with a roundhouse kick, but Shadow blocked it with a forearm. The dark hedgehog came back with a fierce straight punch, but his opponent swiftly ducked underneath it. Shadow then leapt back just in time to avoid Sonic's rising flip kick. The blue hedgehog went into the offensive and rushed low with a sweep kick, which Shadow easily jumped and countered with a drop kick. Sonic saw it coming and sidestepped. The two revved up in their spindash position and rushed into each other. A flash of lightning lit up the sky as the two collided. They both bounced off in opposite directions and landed on their feet on opposite sides of the daisies. They both fought with frightening speed and intensity, yet neither of them landed a single blow. The thunderstorm did not faze them one bit. The two immortals got back to their vertical base and smiled as they stared each other down.

Sonic wiped the water from his face. "You're pretty good."

Shadow crossed his arms once again. "You're not bad yourself."

The dark hedgehog walked to Sonic and put a hand on his shoulder, but didn't even look at him. "Perhaps we will fight again sometime."

"…Sure…"

Shadow continued walking toward the castle, not looking back. Sonic turned his head and watched him, until he disappeared around the bend. 

"(…What was that all about…?)" he wondered.

Bunnie was near the entrance of the Throne Room smiling at her future spouse. The castle guards remained statues. Antoine stood perfectly still before the King, eyes focused straight ahead. Maximillian looked at him and felt proud of this young lad. According to the tale that was told at the dinner table, the coyote had a big part in trying to stop Mathias' Crisis Project plan. Although they didn't stop the resurrection of Cristine Sisytus, getting Mathias back on their side was a big advantage for them. It could've been a lot worse. Things could've turned out different if it wasn't for Antoine's and Shadow's skill and bravery. No ordinary human or mobian alive could have possibly defeated an Aliverian and lived. In the King's eyes, this alone proves that the canine swordsman is ready to graduate yet again…

Maximillian Acorn stood before the coyote. With both hands, he held his Royal Sword up high. 

"Antoine D'Coolette. In recognition of your selfless acts of bravery, allow me to bestow you with the weapon that has been passed down through the generations of the Acorn Royal Army. These great warriors of the past who wielded this weapon have gone through the blood, sweat, and tears to defend the kingdom they call home. Your actions have proven that you are indeed a worthy successor to the sword. Now please…rise."

Antoine arose and did a salute. He was no longer wearing his green samurai robe. He was donning a blue upstanding Acorn uniform similar to the King's. He stood out quite nicely. The trademark blonde toupee completed the package. Oddly enough, there were no pants. Bunnie was almost in tears.

Max laid the relic across his hands and held in front of him. "Antoine D'Coolette. You have grown up. The Royal Sword is yours. Take it."

Antoine received the Royal Sword! 

Antoine learned Valor! Equip this on the C stick. The coyote's attack power will be tripled for 12 seconds. This consumes 50 percent of the Burst Meter AND all of your rings.

Unfortunately, Antoine has lost the Anubis Blade technique.

"You are all dismissed!" Acorn announced. A few seconds after he bent over and whispered in Antoine's ear. "(…Make me proud.)"

"(Oui oui. I weel Monsieur Acorn. I promise not to bee letting you down.)" 

Bunnie ran over and almost tackled the coyote with a hug and kiss. She looked Antoine over and couldn't get enough of his new professional appearance. "Look at chu Sugah-Twan! Yer so handsome! My very own Lil Soldier Boy."

"Mon chere…thees eez the happiest day of my life. I have grown up and made His Heinyness Acorn proud, and I have you…my sunlight in zee pit of darkness…" 

"Antoine…"

"Je vous aimerai toujours ma belle fleur Pour toujours…"

"You have such a way with words…" 

"French is zee language of love after all…"

Just then, Sonic and Tails entered the scene.

"May I help you?" Max asked.

The hedgehog also noticed Antoine's uniform. "Nice duds."

"Sank you." Antoine nodded. He and Bunnie held hands and went upstairs to the second floor of the castle.

"Anyways, me and Tails have decided to head back to the Mystic Ruins for a little bit. We're just checking out our home and get things together and whatnot."

"Is that so?" 

"That won't be a problem, will it Mr. Acorn?" Tails asked innocently.

"Not at all. Feel free to ride any of the fighter jets in the airport. A pilot will get you home safely." 

"Thanks dude! Oh and by the way…"

"Yes?" 

"Where is everybody? I've noticed a lot of my friends are gone. Did they go home too?"

"Most of them, yes. A pilot had informed me Bark and Bean disembarked to the South Pole. Amy went to Station Square. Mathias went to Blue Mountain. Knuckles and his friends went to Angel Island. Sally and Rotor are in Knothole. I believe Nack went to Down Unda. I don't know where Shadow had gone to though."

"Speaking of Shadow…has he……seemed strange to you lately?"

"I don't think so…why?" 

"Nevermind. Anyways, thanks again for the dinner and everything."

"Don't mention it. I guess I'll see you later Sonic and Tails. Come again anytime."

"We'll be back soon." The hedgehog and fox bowed enthusiastically and left as quickly as they came.

The two best buds hauled it to the airport and boarded a private jet. In no less than 5 minutes, they had taken off. Destination: Mystic Ruins.

The jet landed safely on the airstrip leading right to Tails workshop. The two exited from the aircraft and waved their goodbyes to the pilot. With a smile he waved back, and the plane gained altitude once again and disappeared into the clouds. It was cloudy here too, but it wasn't raining. The Tornado 2 was inside the small hangar when they stepped in. Tails had dropped it off here before following the President to the Space Fox.

Sonic sat back in a chair and got comfortable. "Home sweet home Tails."

"I wouldn't get too relaxed Sonic. She's still out there, with the emeralds no less. Anything could happen at any time."

"And when that 'anything' happens, we'll be there."

The blue blur decided to get some exercise and run some practice laps around the ruins, trying to beat his best time. The fox stayed inside and looked at some blueprints of the Fiona biplane.

Meanwhile…the gears of Evil have just begun to turn…

Her hands rubbed together in anticipation of the moment. Her chic blood-red robe and shoulder-length blonde hair flew frantically with the increasing winds. Azure blue eyes gleamed with excitement. That grin of hers slowly turned from excitement to twisted. The layer of clouds below the woman became darker with each passing moment. Thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed. The time has come to revive……to rebuild……to cleanse…

Standing on top of Heaven Tower…that woman…Cristine Sisytus raised her hands up into the sky…and parted her lips…

Her voice…began the call…that would unleash terror upon the Earth…

A song…that would bring them back…

"Angelus…Revuit…arise from the darkness…enter the light…become existence…"

Her hands glowed a dim blue…

"Angelus Revuit Crorix Drenigot…cross from one plane to the other…depart from the dead…"

Her hand glowed even brighter…

"Angelus Revuit Crorix Drenigot Wepriq Moriu Brivoa!!"

The winds became intense and the clouds moved around her like a carousel. An ordinary being would have been blown off easily, but Cristine held her ground.

"TAKE WITHIN YOU NOT THE SPIRIT OF DEATH…BUT THE SPIRIT OF LIFE!! ARISE! ARISE!! ARISE!!!"

Cristine Sisytus screamed as dazzling rays of light shot from her hands. The clouds parted to make a path for the blue beams as they sped toward Echidnapolis on Angel Island below…

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!"

Nack sat at the counter at the same seedy-looking bar in Down Unda, the very place where his marsupial employer tried to kill him. He closed his eyes tight and rubbed his head in frustration. His cowboy hat was sat down beside him. The weasel looked at his shot glass full of whiskey, swirled around in his gloved hand. He tilt his head back as he downed the drink. Nack grunted a bit when he felt the alcohol smoothly burn through his body.

He slammed the glass down. "Bartender, another shot."

"Awright mate." the platypus complied. 

"(Damn…)" he thought. "(This is so stupid. Nobody around here needs to get a job done. There's gotta be someone around here who needs a mercenary's services.)"

"Your drink, mate."

Nack looked down as he swirled the glass of liquor in his hand again. "I'll find someway to get some money. Someway…"

Not a moment too soon, Jack Rabbit entered the bar with briefcase in hand. What was the Sandblast resident doing all the way here in Down Unda?

Jack didn't try to look casual in his approach. He just went straight to the bar and took a seat right beside Nack, nonchalantly putting the briefcase on the counter.

"Want something to drink, mate?" the bartender asked.

"No thanks."

The eye-patched rabbit turned toward his neighbor. "Good day Sir."

He didn't say anything, still looking down at his drink.

"Not in a conversating mood? I don't blame you. I would be too if I had to quit because I wasn't getting compensated for the work I do." 

The mercenary's interest was suddenly piqued, and he turned toward him. "How do you know that?"

"I know a lot of things."

"…What the hell do you want?"

"Pardon my rather rude intrusion. I should at least introduce myself first. The name's Jack Rabbit."

"I already know who you are." 

"Forgive me. It's a pleasure meeting you Mr. Weasel. I consider it a fine privilege to meet such as a renowned bounty hunter such as yourself."

Nack lit up a cigarette. Caribou Brand. He leaned back in his chair as he took a long puff. "Yeah yeah. Whatever. Get to the point. What do you want me to do for you?" 

"A man who doesn't beat around the bush. I admire that in a character. To be blunt, I want you to capture a certain somebody for me. Alive."

"Oh? Is that right?"

"That's right. Once you've caught that somebody, I want you to bring him to the airport in Sandblast City. It's an easy job for a man as skilled as you are, and you will be rewarded rather handsomely if you succeed."

Nack took another puff. "How much money are we talkin' here?"

"I'm quite glad you asked…"

Jack flipped the two locks and opened up the briefcase on the counter. Nothing but rows of crisp clean 100-dollar bills were stacked neatly inside. Nack had to pick his jaw up from the floor.

"One million dollars in cold hard cash, my friend."

"One million dollars?! Must be one hell of a person that you're after." 

"Indeed he is. He's quite a tricky prey, but I'm sure a man of your calibur will get the job done."

"Will I get an advance?"

"No advance, but I'll guarantee that you get the full million once you bring him to me."

"Who's the target that I'm hunting down?"

"You might know him. His name is…"

In the South Pole. Bark's hut… 

"What's wrong Bean? You've been looking out that window every other minute. Just relax and enjoy the game." Bark said, focusing on his cards.

"I don't know Bark…something doesn't feel right…something's going on…do you have a 5?" 

"Go fish! Just relax."

"Tch. I can't. I still can't get over Nack quitting like that. I thought he really wanted to help us out."

"You shouldn't be surprised by that rat. It's a part of being a hired gun. You work for money. If the boss don't pay up, you quit and find someone else who will. Do you have an 8?"

"Go fish. I suppose you're right." 

…

"You're staring out the window again." 

"Sorry. I can't help it. Don't you feel it?"

"…No." 

"Something is definitely going on out there, Bark. Something…powerful… Something…unsettling… Something…well…I hate to say it…evil…"

"Evil? You mean that woman? Cristine what's-her-face."

"Yeah…her. I think she's cooking up something nasty. I can feel it."

Bean couldn't be more right…

The emergency call came in at the Acorn Conference Room on the second floor. The King, along with his daughter, Antoine, Rotor, Bunnie, as well as the majority of his Royal Army stormed upstairs to the large room. The rows of chairs accompanying the rectangular tables were quickly filled. It was tense. Max stood up front as a huge 51 inch plasma monitor descended from the ceiling to eye level. The room dimmed as the Station Square President appeared onscreen.

_"Good day King Maximillian Acorn."_

"Good day Mr. President. I assume there's no time for chit-chat."

_"I'm afraid not. There is some urgent news that needs to be brought to your attention."_

"I'm listening."

_"As farfetched as this might sound…"_

"Yes?"

_"There are well…oh how should I say this…'Angels' causing havoc in Station Square as I speak. It's truly a disaster. Pandemonium everywhere. Just like last time. Rouge and the construction team were just starting to rebuild the demolished areas, when they started invading."_

"…Angels, Mr. President?"

_"I know. I know. That's the only way I could describe them. I don't know where they came from. They have white feathery wings and can they fly through the air. Not to mention it appears that can use some kind of magic power. Station Square must have the worst luck in the world, being attacked twice in a single week."_

"Magic power…That sounds really terrible. Do you want me to assist you? I can deploy some fighter jets over to Station Square."

_"If you can, that would be really appreciated. I already have all the remaining G.U.N. forces sent into battle. I've summoned Sonic and Tails to help us out as well. Though you should also watch your back, Maximillian. Those 'Angels' could invade your territory at any time."_

"My Royal Army is willing to fight to the death. You don't need to worry about us."

_"They are everywhere. Sandblast City, the Tropical Islands, Down Unda, Angel Island, South Pole…all of these places have reported 'Angel' sightings."_

"A worldwide threat, it seems." 

_"Agreed. I don't know if we can make it."_

"We will. Don't give up when the fight has barely begun."

_"When should I expect your help to arrive?"_

"1 hour. Tops." 

_"Alright. We'll keep in touch Max. Watch your back. We'll do what we can to pull through."_

The huge monitor clicked off and the lights in the room turned bright again. The Royal Army sat breathless, but were not afraid. Antoine gripped the hilt of his Royal Sword tighter. Bunnie kept close to him. Max turned toward his men for their most important briefing yet. 

"WHOA!"

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…" 

Tails barely dodged a fire blast from an approaching Angel as he flew over the heavily damaged Station Square. The fox fired back with his gatling gun, effectively downing the winged oppressor. Things looked bleak. They were all over the place, blazing a path of destruction where ever they flew. Buildings…cars…streets…they didn't stand a chance.

Sonic stood fearlessly on the wing, keeping his balance with ease. "That was close Tails! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." he replied, then spoke into the communicator. "Mr. President. We're in the city, and it's a mess out here. What did you want us to do?"

_"I received a distress signal from Rouge. She's injured badly. Her and several other people are trapped inside a building on the corner of 45th and Broad Street. A huge pile of debris is blocking their only way out. I need you two to rescue them, and destroy any Angels that you come across. G.U.N. is busy fighting off the opposition as best they can. They're in a pinch. Acorn's jets should be arriving here soon to lend a hand."_

"Okay Mr. President. 45th and Broad Street. Got it. Tails, over and out."

_"Be careful. And good luck you two."_

Tails shut off the communicator.

"Sonic, I think it's best if we split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

"Sounds cool to me. I'll be down in the streets gunning for 45th and Broad Street. You'll stay up here and help G.U.N., and eventually Acorn's jets destroy the Aliverians."

It was just as the President said. The winged Aliverians had been revived after a 12,000 year eternal sleep, courtesy of Cristine Sisytus. Now they were out to do her bidding. They were everywhere. Their eyes were glazed over, lacking that striking spark of life. They were alive, but not quite all there. These winged beings were now puppets, controlled by a manical marionette pulling their strings. 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…" 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…"

Sonic leapt from the Tornado 2 and landed on the roof of a building. He waved to Tails who was flying away.

"It's go time." he said to himself before bursting forth in a blaze. With a sonic boom, the hedgehog blasted down the side of the building. He thrust with a speed that was unreal. The windows behind him shattered in his wake. With an agile leap and perfect landing, he was down in the streets of the big city. The shards of glass rained down all around him, covering a city block.

"(Heh heh…my bad…)" Sonic blushed. "Let's rescue the peeps and kick some Angel butt!" 

_Stage G: Downtown Dash_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Find Rouge and the survivors.  
Alright! Sonic's back and rarin' to go. There's no time to waste. This stage is similar in style to City Escape from SA2. If you look at the sky, you can see the Tornado 2, the Aliverians, G.U.N. jets…and later in the stage, Acorn's jets duking it out. Grind across rails and swing across poles. Whenever you approach a steep hill, Sonic will automatically ride his skateboard. Push A to jump, B to slow down, analog stick to steer. Hit the ramps to gain some serious air. The word "Stunt!" will appear in the upper-right corner of the screen if you're high enough. Time to show off. Use a combination of the L and R buttons, the analog stick, B, and A buttons to perform tricks. The more complicated the maneuver, the more points you'll score. Chain tricks together to multiply your score and earn ring bonuses. New enemies will make their first appearance here, the Aliverians. There are three varieties of these flying menaces. The ones wearing red robes launch flames toward your direction; the ones in yellow summon lightning bolts from above. Watch for shadows. Blue-clothed Angels spray ice that freezes anything it touches (including you). Destruction will continue to ensue as you speed your way through the city. Beware of falling debris, exploding vehicles, flying shrapnel and glass. You'll also have to run along the side of buildings to get around dangerous obstacles blocking the way. Complete the stage by reaching the building on 45th and Broad Street.

"There's the place the Pres was talking about."

Sonic reached his destination. The cloudy sky above roared with the fighting aircraft from G.U.N., Acorn, and the Tornado 2, combating with the threatening Angels. A mountain of wreckage had buried the outside of the building up 2 stories. The hedgehog nimbly ran up the pile of random metal scraps to a third story window. With a spin dash, he crashed through it to the inside. He ran down the flights of stairs to the first floor, where Rouge and several people were stuck in the pile. 

"Rouge!" he called out. "Stay calm guys. I'll get ya all out."

"Sonic!"

"We're saved!"

"It's a miracle!"

The bat squirmed and turned her toward the voice. "Sonic! Oh…thank goodness you're here!"

"The Pres said you were stuck here along with these folks, so I came over."

He quickly rushed over and helped all six of the citizens get out of their predicament. Pushing and shoving and pulling the people from under the rubble. They were battered and bruised, but nothing serious. Rouge, however, had a broken left leg. 

"Ow! OW! Careful!" she said, being helped to her feet. 

"Sorry sorry! Let me get these people out first. Then you, alright?"

"Okay.."

Sonic hoisted a person onto his shoulder and made six trips. The last trip, he carried Rouge in his arms and made his way out of the building. An explosion a couple blocks away shook them up a bit. A blue car burst into flames. 

Soon, an armored G.U.N. van appeared. The spiky black-haired Sargeant Joe was the driver. Four heavily armed soldiers stormed from the back door.

"We'll take it from here Sonic. Thank you. We're going to evacuate them to a safe place." one said.

"No prob. Careful with Rouge, she broke her leg."

"Don't worry. She's in good hands. This section has been cleared. Acorn's jets and Tails' expert flying really helped us out. A large number of those 'Angel Beings' were wiped out, but there are still hundreds left."

"It's progress at least. I whipped quite a few Aliverians myself."

"Ali-what?"

"…Never mind."

The bat and the six bystanders were loaded up into the van. One of the men pounded on the side of the door, signaling Joe to go ahead and speed off.

"See ya around Sonic!" 

"See ya."

Mathias held his sword ready when he reached the summit of Blue Mountain. The snow fell as usual. Kit Ri, or Nathaniel rather, wasn't in his usual meditating spot outside the hut. The lean violet cat was going to demand some answers, the easy way or the hard way.

He remained steady as he stepped toward the little wooden house. The cat slowly pushed the door, creaking as it swung open. There he was. But. Mathias saw a horrific sight that even he, a mighty Aliverian, could not muster.

"Oh my God…D…Dad…" he whimpered, almost crying.

Nathaniel's own sword was pierced right through his abdomen. It was still in his body, and the teacher was lying in a pool of his own blood. His red kimono almost matched the color of it. He had committed suicide. 

"No…NO!" he screamed, running over to the body. "But…! But…! But why dad? W…why? WHY?"

He wiped his face of the oncoming moisture, and then noticed a note sitting on the table just in front of him. The cat picked it up and read it.

_Dear Son,  
By the time you are reading this, I am in peace in the afterlife. I am sure you have many questions on your mind. Yes, I did manipulate you by placing some magic on the Black Jackal sword I gave you. I wanted the love of my life, Cristine, to be revived into this world. I still love her, regardless of her greed for power. I was overcome with sadness and grief for the last 12,000 years. I hadn't realized she was residing inside Mach's body until the hedgehog himself told me 72 years ago. He finally knew what she did to him. By then, my aging body couldn't possibly carry out such a task of extracting her soul, so I had you do it. Not too long ago I learned that you had succeeded in doing so, and my love is back from purgatory. I thought that 12,000 years later, she would be happy to see me. I hoped deep within my heart that she would forget all about that Codex and come back to me…to the way it used to be._

I was wrong. Rejected. My hopes were crushed.

I recently met up with Cristine earlier today. She still didn't care for me, nor you. All she cares about now is power. Nothing had changed one bit. After 12 millenia, she had remained the same. Needless to say, I was devastated. Disappointed. I used you, my only son, and still didn't get anything.

I couldn't possibly face you again, my dear Mathias. I took control of you to get what I wanted. I tried to take control of Antoine too, to help you out in achieving my goal.

Now I have nothing. I lost my love. I destroyed the bond between a father and son. The world is in jeopardy because of me. I would rather choose death than live with the pain and guilt for the rest of my days. Taking my own life is the most appropriate action to take. The only one who can judge me now is God.

Please stop her, Mathias. Stop Cristine. Destroy your mother if you have to. The fate of the world is riding on you, Mach, Antoine, and the rest. I'll always be proud of you no matter what. I hope that you would find it in your heart to forgive this old fool.

Love you always my son,  
Nathaniel

"…D…Dad…"

Drops of tears landed on the note as it trembled in his hands.

"Take this! And this!! AND THIS!" Bark screamed. He hit an Aliverian with three powerful punches to the face, knocking him back. The bear then picked him up and threw him into the ice cold water.

They swarmed all over. The South Pole wasn't safe anymore. The duck and bear turned cautiously, watching their every move. Bark's left arm was badly burned, and Bean suffered bruises on his back.

Bean winced as he threw a bomb at another one. "..Ga…Catch!"

The Angel quizzically caught and looked at the sparkling device, and then it exploded. The winged being flew back from the blast into the water.

"Ha ha! Oldest trick in the book."

Bark pointed off toward the distance. "Lookie there! Even the little Fox Nomads are fighting back. You gotta admire their tenacity."

The little orange foxes' faces were marked with black paint in a distinct pattern, symbolizing war. The pygmies were gibbering some kind of language as they chucked spears and rocks at the invaders. 

"Oreaaa! Oreaaaa! Oreaaa!" 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…"

A spear through the right shoulder made an Angel jerk back, but remained airborne. A rock smashed a face dead on, causing the floater to fall to the ground.

"YAIYAIYAIYAIYAI!"

A huge lightning bolt struck them, making several of the little fighters fly into the air. They landed in a sickening thud. They showed no signs of life afterwards.

"VIREEEEEEE!!" the others yelled in rage.

Their bodies were smoking from the shocking blast. The rest continued fighting. They didn't know the meaning of retreat. 

"Ouch…that definitely had to hurt." Bark winced, watching.

Bean nudged his large friend. "Don't just stand there! Let's help them out!"

The two rushed toward the fellow natives to assist them.

The bar in Down Unda was deserted. It was usually filled with customers 24/7, but now it was a ghost town. The roads were hyper with cars coming and going at high speeds though. The Angels were here too. Mayhem knows no boundaries. 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…"

A spray of ice on the road resulted in a 14 car pile up. Ice on the road was unheard of in Down Unda.

A blue kangaroo shouted, hopping down the road. "This is bloody hell! What are these things?!"

"It's the Apocalypse mate!" a dingo yelled. "There's nothing we can do!"

Acres of trees were burning out of control. The Fire Department was doing their damndest to put them out.

"We have a wildfire here!" one of the firefighters shouted.

Another aimed the nozzle. "I can see that! Thank you!"

"More water! More water! Increase pressure!"

"This is the highest it goes!"

The military force in Down Unda was lacking compared to Station Square and Acorn's, but still formidable. Kangaroo officers in riot gear battled their aerial opponents with tear gas and semi-auto rifles. The gas didn't affect them unfortunately.

"What ARE these things?!"

"Just keep firing!"

A black hole suddenly appeared from under two of the officers, and they fell right through.

"AHHHHHHhhhhhhh….!!!" 

"Grrrraaaaaagghhhh!!!!"

"NOO!! ASH!!! BARRY!!!" one yelled, then went crazy with the rifle. "YOU BASTARRRRRRDS!!" 

With all the disorder running rampant in Down Unda, Nack was nowhere to be seen…

The thunderstorm continued in Maximillian's domain.

A line of 300 of Acorn's finest stood in front of the drawbridge leading to the castle. 20 more were in the throne room, assigned to protect Max at all costs. Sally and Rotor were also inside. The squirrels had their armor and swords equipped. Their faces and postures in stone. It was all quiet on the inevitable battlefront. Antoine and Bunnie were among the soldiers, ready to fight with their lives.

The King himself, stood behind them. His spirit defies his age. "MEN! No matter what the odds are. No matter how much we are outnumbered or outgunned, NEVER throw in the towel! It will be a matter of time before the enemy will make their way here!"

Silence.

"Who are you?!" he asked them with such intensity.

"THE ACORN ROYAL GUARD, SIR!!"

"Are you going to let fear stop you from fighting?!"

"NO SIR!!"

"Are you going to give up without a fight?!"

"NO SIR!!"

"Are you ready to defend this castle with your life?!"

"YES SIR!!" 

"Are you willing to defend the world?!"

"YES SIR!!"

"Are we going to give them HELL?!" 

"YEEEEEEEEES SIR!!"

It became quiet once again, preparing for the incoming Angels. The wind rustling of the trees, the falling rain, and the occasional crack of thunder kept everyone on edge.

"(Are you scared mon chere?)" he whispered to her.

"(Nah Twan…I'm not afraid…not as long as yer by my side.)"

"(Stick close to moi. I don't want to lose you. These Aliverians mean business. I know from experience. Mathias was not a cakewalk.)"

"(I will sugah. We'll stick together. I got yer back if yuh got mine.)"

David Kaiser, the youngest cadet, pointed toward the forest. "LOOK EVERYONE!" 

Attention was focused toward the trees.

Like an army of braindead zombies, the Angels have appeared from the foliage. Vacant looks on their faces. A single-minded ambition. Still repeating that single sentence. One by one…tens by tens…and then…hundreds upon hundreds… their numbers were overwhelming, to say the least. The ancient mob flew closer and closer…

One soldier muttered. "The President was right…those are… 'Angels'…"

"I only heard about them in fairytales…but not like this…" another commented. 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…"

King Acorn stepped in front of his army and raised his right arm straight up. The sounds of metal rang in harmony as they unsheathed their swords.

"Steady men…steady…" Max instructed. 

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…"

Closer they came…

"Wait for it…"

And closer… 

"Wait for it…"

Closing the gap…

"Ready…" 

When the Angels got within range, His Majesty lowered his arm and pointed forward. He made the all important command… 

"CHAAAAAAAAARGE!!!"

With a mighty roar, the army exploded from the castle and advanced toward the enemy.

Antoine started off great with a jump and slash right across an Angel's face. It gave a screech before it collapsed to the ground. Bunnie was right behind him, landing a strong thrust kick to another's chest. 

A few soldiers screamed in agony of being burned alive. One was already frozen. The eager David Kaiser shoulder tackled one into the ground and gave it a final stab into its throat. "FOR ACORN!" 

Two soldiers on the balcony had crossbows and used them with deadly accuracy. Arrows to the shoulder and face put a few more out of commission.

The Aliverians were smart. One group of them would throw soldiers into the moat, while another would electrocute the water. Several were killed this way.

Antoine ran with fury, slicing left and right through the robed adversaries like a lawnmower through grass.

A group of soldiers yelled as they got carried a hundred-plus feet in the air, before being dropped down to the ground. A few were dead, more were severely injured.

Gun turrets situated near the airport control tower were successful in blowing several away.

"FOR ACORN!"

"FOR ACORN!" 

The bloody battle had only just begun. It was too hard to tell which side had the upper hand.

"GET THE HELL OFF MY ISLAND!!"

Knuckles was furious, gliding to the side of a building and punching an Angel's lights out. Yep, they were here too. Even worse, he lost track of his Chaotix pals. Vector's, Mighty's, Charmy's, and Espio's whereabouts were unknown. He didn't know where they went. In this case though there were two factions of the Aliverians on Angel Island. Two different objectives they were commanded to do.

One faction was concentrating on the reshaping of Echidnapolis from the ground up; their main objective was restoring this city to its former glory of Aliveria. The hundreds were working at a fast pace, Knuckles couldn't keep up. The other faction's objective was simply this: Destroy those who get in the way.

"Must…kill…all…humans…and…mobians…" 

The echidna ran underneath a fire blast and countered with a doozy of an uppercut.

"DAMN IT! As much as I hate to admit it, I can't do this by myself. Guys, I really need you right now…" 

Knuckles ran through the streets of the now-changing Echidnapolis, dodging and weaving out of harm's way.

"BACK OFF!" He turned around and head butted one sneaking up behind him, then a strong left hook knocked it out cold.

Suddenly the echidna slipped and fell on his behind. He didn't realize the street around him was frozen solid. "The hell?!"

"WHOA!" He leapt up and glided away when he saw a black hole form under him. "That was close! What WAS that?!"

Fourteen Angels quickly surrounded and trapped the red guardian, all preparing to attack him. He struggled to find a way out, but nothing.

"Well…this is bad…"

VrrrrrrrrOOOOOOOOM!!

The sound of a vehicle was getting louder and louder, a blue slicked-out motorcycle to be exact, sped toward Knuckles' location. The rider of the 2-wheeler was quick with throwing shurikens. Two at a time to their faces, he downed 4 almost simultaneously.

"Get down, Knuckles!"

"What the…"

He leaned to the far right, pushing the cycle until it was almost parallel to the street. Sparks flew and the tires skidded across the pavement as the rider slid right underneath the Angels. He nabbed the surprised echidna with a quick swipe, and with a few quick slashes of a dagger killed two more. The rescuer leaned back right up to normal position and maintained speed.

Knuckles was in the back of a 2-seater. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head at the driver. "ESPIO?!? IS THAT YOU?!"

"Here to the rescue, Knux."

"HOW COME YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU COULD RIDE A DAMN MOTORCYCLE?!"

"You didn't ask."

"Tch…that's a lame excuse. Well at least you're still alive. Did you see where Mighty, Charmy and Vector went after that ambush?"

"They went down south toward Mushroom Hill last time I saw them. We should head there first."

"Alright. After we rescue our friends, we have to go back and get those stupid feathered freaks off the island." 

"Yeah, but how Knux? We're seriously outnumbered. It's just us 5 against hundreds of them."

"Grrrggh…"

"I think we should just concentrate on finding Cristine Sisytus. If we eliminate her, the Angels should cease to exist. It'll all be over."

"…"

"…"

"…I guess you're right Espio. Let's rescue our friends first, then we'll go to King Max's place to organize and find a way to get her." 

"Then it's settled."

Espio leaned low and put some juice on the motorcycle. Easily pushing 120 M.P.H., the landscape was but a blur to him and Knuckles.

_Stage H: Highway Heat_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
Mission: Get to Mushroom Hill.  
Espio will blaze through the streets and highways on his crotch rocket. Knuckles will be in the back seat. You don't have to worry about steering or avoiding obstacles, the chameleon has that covered for you. Your job here is defense. During the ride Knuckles will be standing up, facing out toward the back. Use the analog stick to face one of three directions: His left, the center, his right. The Angels will latch onto the bike in one, two, or all three of those aforementioned directions. Quickly face the correct position(s) and use your punch combos to knock 'em out. If you take too long, they will damage the bike. Three hits will cause it to explode and you lose a life. Every minute or so a large gaggle of Angels will block the way, forcing Espio to stop and disembark. Knuckles will also get off and you'll have to fight them the regular way. A new type of Aliverian will premiere here: The black robe variety. They have the ability to…you guessed it…cast black holes under you. Move out of the way as soon as you see one or be sucked into instant death. You're not alone in the struggle though. The ninja will provide assistance with ninja stars, wind slashes, and smoke bombs. Once you've beaten the herd, Espio will go back to the bike. Go right beside him and push B to hop back on. This process of riding and street fighting will be done a total of 3 times during the stage. Complete this level by reaching Mushroom Hill on the outskirts of the city.

Knuckles and Espio were fortunate in their search. They found Vector, Mighty, and Charmy just finishing off a few more of those dastardly beings with some good old fashioned teamwork.

The bee was ecstatic. "Knux! Espio! Whew! You're safe! We thought we lost you guys for good!!"

Espio smiled. "I'm relieved to see you all as well."

Vector liked the ninja's ride. "Niiiiice hog Espio."

"Thanks."

"Now that everyone's here, what do we do now?" Mighty asked. "Do we continue to kick ass or what?"

Knuckles responded. "We're going to King Max's to regroup. We're simply outnumbered here. Cristine Sisytus should be the main objective. Once we put her out of commission, those things should disappear."

"The red man is right. We're just wastin' our time here tryin' to knock off this gigantic army. Let's get outta here."

The echidna was about to leave Angel Island, but a crucial thought hit him. "No! Wait! Crap…I forgot…"

Mighty looked troubled. "What's up? Something wrong Knuckles?"

"You all go on ahead without me."

"Huh?"

"I have to go get the Master Emerald. I can't just leave it here, risking those damn things finding it and using it for some scheme."

"Knux, if you take it away, the island will fall. You know that." Charmy reminded.

"Yeah…but we won't be on it when that happens. Only the Aliverians will be. We can do some major damage to them if they stay when the island hits the ocean."

"But…!" 

"Besides, the woman has the Chaos Emeralds. We need some emerald power on our side."

"But…!"

"JUST GO! ALL OF YOU. VECTOR, CHARMY, ESPIO, AND MIGHTY. I'LL NAB THE MASTER EMERALD AND MEET YOU GUYS AT KING MAX'S. THIS ISLAND WILL FALL IN 15 MINUTES! BE OFF OF IT BY THEN!!"

Vector shook his head with worry. "Knux man…"

"JUST GO."

Espio was concerned as well. "Knuckles…"

"JUST GO OR I'LL WHIP ALL YOUR ASSES!!"

"…Fine." Mighty said. "Come on guys. Let's roll. We'll leave it to him."

Charmy carried the team off the island and flew toward the Acorn's kingdom.

"Feel free to use my bike!" Espio yelled back. "Just don't screw it up!"

"How do I use it?!" 

"It's easy. It's like riding a bike, except it's really fast and you don't need to pedal."

"Huh…sounds easy enough."

Knuckles hopped on the blue cycle and zoomed back toward Echidnapolis. Along the way, he sucker punched several Angels in his way.

"Damn this thing is fast!! (I should get one of these too…)"

He busted through the door to Congregation Hall on his bike and crashed into the back wall. A huge noticeable dent was in its side frame.

"Oh crap!…he's not gonna be happy…oh well…I'll tell him later."

The usual 10-digit password and voice recognition test were applied. 

"Knuckles."

_"Confirmed. Guardian."_

The wall slid open, revealing the small room with the teleporter. He stepped in the cramped space and the wall closed in behind him. Stepping on the pedestal, he was enveloped in a bright pillar of light. A split second later he vanished.

It was the longest day of their young lives. All around the world, the humans and mobians were giving their all to survive the Aliverian incursion that has swarmed over the Earth. From the Tropical Islands to Down Unda…from the South Pole to Station Square…no where was safe from the insurmountable threat. It was an even standing thus far. Cristine must be sitting back laughing at all this.

Angel Island had fell to the ocean, the impact took out a large number of Aliverians. They were still going strong though, and the rebuilding still continued…

Night had fallen over King Max's castle. It was peaceful there, for a while at least. All the Aliverians in that area were killed. Half of the 300 Acorn soldiers had died in the field. Farewell. May they find their way to Heaven…

King Acorn, Sally, her close friends, Knuckles, the Chaotix, David Kaiser, and the rest of the soldiers sat in a large circle around a massive bonfire. During this much needed break, the kid in Max decided they would roast some marshmallows. It would be a little powwow for the troops.

"To our comrades, who gave their lives to serve our kingdom. May their souls rest in peace." the King announced, raising a stick of 3 marshmallows in the air. What a funny way to respect the dead.

Every single soldier and mobian raised their mallow sticks in the air in a respectful farewell salute.

"To our comrades…"

Bunnie was bandaging up Antoine's left arm, which was badly burned during the battle. He grit his teeth, trying to take his mind off the pain.

Knuckles took a bite of his cooked dessert, pleasantly surprised at its sweet taste. "This is good stuff. What is this exactly? Some kind of styrofoam?" 

Vector put the whole stick in his mouth, inhaling his seven. "chomp They're called chew! marshmallows, man." 

"Ah…that's Vector for you. The expert on food." Mighty said.

"What is THAT supposed to mean, Hardback?" 

"What do you think it means?"

"I think it means a fist in your mouth!"

"Bring it on, suitcase-face." 

"Cut it out guys." Knuckles warned.

"How's my bike?" Espio suddenly asked.

"…"

"…Uhhh…No habla ingles. Que?"

"…"

"…"

"No...you...did...not..." 

"Hey Mr. Acorn!" Charmy asked. "You wouldn't have any graham crackers and chocolate bars would ya?"

"I'm afraid not, my young friend."

"Rats…"

Knuckles stood up and made a smart suggestion. "Your Majesty, me and the Chaotix have decided that it would be pointless to keep fighting these Angel things over and over. It's best to go to the source. Cristine Sisytus. She's the one behind this entire invasion. You know, the one we told you about at the dinner table. If we get rid of her, it will all end. The nightmare will be over."

"Excellent point Knuckles. But the big problem is, where is she? According to you guys, she can teleport at will. If we try to reach her, she'll just move somewhere else."

"Cristine may have the knowledge of the Codex, but don't forget that she's only human. She's not perfect. She makes mistakes…and the moment she does, we'll be on her like white on rice."

"…I hope you're right. I'll inform all the leaders of the world to keep a close eye on her. Have an active worldwide watch. The President of Station Square, Sandblast City, the Tropics, South Pole, Down Unda…they will all be on alert for this woman."

"I'll let my parents in the North Pole on this plan." Rotor said.

"I'll contact the Wolfpack and let them know about this." Sally said to herself and activated Nicole. "We'll leave no stone unturned." 

"Sally-girl!" the rabbit exclaimed.

"What is it Bunnie?"

"Well…uh…This Cristine gal has the Chaos Emeralds, right?"

"Right…"

"And you have Nicole, right?"

"Right…"

"Think about it." 

"…"

"…"

"…Ooooooh…" 

"Now yuh get it!"

"Why didn't I think of that? You're a genius Bunnie!"

"Shucks…it ain't nothing."

The clouds still covered the night sky at the Mystic Ruins workshop, where the Tornado 2 was undergoing repairs by the meticulous hands of Tails. It was severely damaged during the whole Station Square fiasco.

"The pistons are shot…the power output is only capable of 30…and I'll have to get new propeller blades. This plane isn't going anywhere for a while. Drat…"

Sonic was looking over his shoulder, trying to sneak a peek. "You need help little buddy?"

"Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I got this."

"Are you sure? It'll be no problem at all."

"I'm sure. You can do me a favor though."

"What's up?"

"Get me a can of root beer from the fridge. I'm pretty thirsty."

"Cool. I think I'll grab a drink myself."

The hedgehog went back inside the workshop and to the fridge. "Lessee here…lessee here…yuck…year old Chinese food…moldy cookies…ugh…ah here we go."

Sonic nabbed a root beer for his friend and a cola for himself. He kicked the door closed with his foot. Going back out, the blue blur had no clue that he was going to see his greatest fear.

"Here ya go Tails. I got ya your…"

He froze. His heart pumped. He lost all the feeling in his arms, causing him to drop both cans.

"…Tails?"

The two-tailed fox was lying face down on the ground, not moving. A panicked Sonic ran right over to him and bent down. He carefully turned him over to get a better look. Tails was hit with a polymide dart right in the throat, which caused temporary paralysis, or in Tails' case loss of consciousness.

"Some kind of chemical dart. Who would do something like this?"

Sonic stood back up and looked around the landscape cautiously. He was very suspicious now.

Through a sniper's night vision scope, he surveyed the land like a lion on the hunt. The gloved hand was steady on the trigger; the eyes were searching with laser-like intensity. The Mystic Ruins were now his playground.

"There you are…" the hunter said. "I see you…"

The sniper rifle moved over to the prey's position. Right on target…

Sonic felt something on his chest and he looked down. He saw it.

"Holy…!"

A red dot was probing around his chest, and the hedgehog instinctively leapt away just in time. He barely dodged the dart. He ran behind the workshop, starting to breathe harder. Panic was setting in.

"A sniper rifle? So that's how Tails…"

Sonic stood up against the workshop wall, he could hear his heart beating. After taking a deep breath, he slowly peeked around the corner. The laser sight was right in his eyes.

"AH!"

He quickly went back down into hiding.

"Geez! Who is this guy…and what does he want? I have to somehow get to this person without being shot…I'll have to be quick and smart about it too."

Nack had a delicious expression on his face, looking through the scope. It was a grin spread so wide…a grin that said that I'm about to get a million dollars in cash.

"That's right hedgehog. Hide. Be afraid. I'm watching your every move. My nickname isn't Fang the Sniper for nothing."

Sonic tried to remain calm. "Don't worry Tails. I'll get whoever's responsible for this. That is…if I can find the guy/girl/whatever."

A devious sniper versus a quick hedgehog in a night setting. This ought to be interesting. 

_Boss: Fang the Sniper_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
There is no music in this boss fight, and there is a reason for that. You are the hunted. You'll have to rely on your eyes AND ears to defeat Fang. Speed and wits will go hand in hand. The Mystic Ruins around you is your battleground. Access to any of the caves is blocked. The first thing you have to know is that if you run around like an idiot, you will get shot. You will not win. Take it easy. Use cover as soon as you see a red dot on you. He is going to shoot. Fang is deadly accurate. Hide behind trees, rocks, pillars, huts, whatever you find. If you want to find out his location, listen for the key sounds. If you hear grass rustling, he's in the field. If you hear wood clomping, he's on the train station dock. If you hear splashing, he's behind the waterfall. If you hear footsteps on cement, he's at the workshop runway. Once you determine where his location is, don't go just yet. If you try to bumrush him now, he'll not only shoot you, but he'll use tear gas to temporarily blind you and run to a different sniping spot. Instead, wait for the sound that tells you when he's most vulnerable. Give up? It's when he's reloading. He won't fire until you expose yourself, so play a little luring game to make him waste bullets. Just be careful not to get shot. If you hear a bullet being reloaded into a chamber, NOW is your chance to run and get him. His sniper rifle holds 4 bullets, so you have 4 clicks to haul ass and hit Fang. You have a 15 second window before he's fully loaded up and ready. After you damage him, he'll throw a flash bomb and blind you as he flees. By the time you see again, he'll be at another sniping spot. Rinse and repeat. 4 hits ought to suffice.

Another Etheral power is resurrected from within…

Sonic learned Zero Force! A C stick command. Use this and a tiny star will appear over your head. If you get hit while having no rings, you won't die. You lose the star instead. It won't save you from falling though. This consumes 90 percent of the Burst Meter.

The beaten Nack was on the ground, backing away from an advancing and a very peeved Sonic. 

"No! No! St…stay back!"

"What were you tryin' to shoot me for, huh?! HUH?!"

"I…I…"

"What did you do to Tails?!"

"He's only asleep. C…calm down! He'll wake back up!"

The angry hedgehog stomped closer. "What were you doing? Why did you try to shoot me?!"

"I was…I was…"

Sonic grabbed the bounty hunter by the neck and held him up in the air. Not amused. "Tell me NOW!"

"Gah! I…I was hired to…"

"WHAT?"

"I was…hired…to capture you…alive…"

"By who?!" 

"…"

"Tell me NOW! Who put you up to this?!" 

"…J…Jack Rabbit…"

"…"

"…Jack Rabbit? That Sandblast city dude? He's STILL trying to get his hands on me?!"

"Yeah…he'll pay me a million dollars to take you in alive."

"Why?" 

"…I…don't…know. I just do jobs. I don't ask why." 

"Hmph!" he grumbled, throwing Nack back to the ground. Sonic picked up the sniper rifle and broke it in half over his leg. "Get out of my sight." he growled.

Like the little weasel he is, he scampered off like he got a scolding from his mother.

Two hours later...at the top of Heaven Tower…where the clouds continued to rumble in her presence…

Cristine Sisytus held the seven Chaos Emeralds in her hands, admiring their luster…their shine…their power…

"It's been quite a long day…sitting back and witnessing these Earth fools fight with such futility. Don't they know that they are inferior? It's rather sad to watch…yet so extremely entertaining…"

She laid out the gems in a straight line in front of her. Green, Purple, Yellow, Blue, Red, Sliver, and Orange… Such power came in such small packages…

"I think it might be time…for my little babies to know the world outside their cribs…"

**_Next Chapter: The Seven Etherals: Part I_**


	16. The Seven Etherals: Part I

**Chapter 16 - The Seven Etherals: Part I**

In the Acorn Conference Room, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and the Chaotix, Sally, Rotor, Bunnie, and Antoine had gathered at the table. King Max paced around the room anxiously as his royal army sat by. The mobians had just discovered the location of the Chaos Emeralds, thanks to Nicole's energy tracking. Cristine Sisytus still had the gems in her clutches.

Max kept pacing back and forth, turning his head to look at her daughter every so often. The soldiers' eyes followed him with some uneasiness.

Sally looked at Nicole closely. "According to this, the Chaos Emeralds are still in the same location. It looks like they're not going anywhere."

"Where are the emeralds now?" Knuckles asked. "The sooner we get there, the better. She has to be eliminated."

"You're not going to believe this, guys…"

Sonic leaned over Sally's shoulder to a get a better view. "What's up? Where are the emeralds?" 

"…They're in a location high in the atmosphere. Angel Island has fallen, but this place is still above the clouds. Some of us have been there before…"

"Where, Sally-girl?" 

"Heaven Tower."

Everyone in the room, including Max, showed different displays of concern and surprise.

Tails stood up. "Heaven Tower? That desolate old structure?"

"That's probably why she chose that location. We would never suspect that anyone would be hiding in that ruined place…" Knuckles replied. 

Max walked to the front of the room. "Alright then. It's official. Cristine Sisytus is at Heaven Tower. I'll contact Mr. President and notify him about the woman's location. We'll need to form some kind of strategy. We don't know what to expect." 

The uniformed squirrel pushed a button on the wall, causing the 51 inch plasma monitor to descend into the room. Several seconds later, the leader of Station Square appeared onscreen.

"Good evening Mr. President."

_"Good evening Max. How are things on your end?" _

"We've successfully routed the enemy army. Quite a few casualties but we're safe…for now anyways. How about you?"

_"Same thing here. It's quiet…too quiet. Not a single one of those Angel things in sight. I've got G.U.N. on standby just in case a second wave approaches. I recently contacted Down Unda's President and he said things were quiet on his end as well."_

"Well well…that's good news. Speaking of good news, we've just found out Cristine Sisytus' location."

_"Who?"_

"Cristine Sisytus. She's the one responsible for this whole invasion."

_"Where is she?" _

"High above the sunken Angel Island, at Heaven Tower. It's still in its original location, thousands of feet above the Earth. This is our chance to press a full-on assault upon her. It's the perfect opportunity for both of us to gather our troops and head to that area. Once she's defeated, this whole invasion will stop and the world will be at peace."

_"Alright then Max. I'll gather half of G.U.N. for the assault. The other half will stay in Station Square waiting in the wings. I'll contact Down Unda's President again and tell him about this update. Perhaps he'll contribute some of his own troops to this as well."_

"Sounds good Mr. President. Our men will gather at the Mushroom Hill Plains at midnight. Your brigade, my brigade, and possibly Down Unda's brigade."

_"Midnight. Mushroom Hill Plains. Gotcha Max. I'll have Sergeant Joe lead my men."_

"I'll have a suitable candidate for our leader as well. I'll see you there."

_"Okay. Later Max."_

The button was pressed and the monitor ascended back into the ceiling. It was quiet once again as Max's boots clomped the floor in a circle. Sonic and the clique as well as the royal troops awaited his orders. After a few minutes, he parted his lips.

"Okay. Listen up men. A meeting has been arranged with the President's army and presumably Down Unda's. The time of the convention is midnight tonight. The place is the Mushroom Hill Plains. I have counted that 143 of you are left after our last battle with the Angels. Here's the deal. Half of you will go. The other half will stay here."

A few looks were exchanged among the men. Max pointed his arm forward and divided the crowd into two, and then he swept his arm all the way to the left side of the room. "This half is going. Rise."

72 armed squirrels stood up in synchrinization.

"I will make arrangements to have 3 choppers and 12 fighter jets ready for takeoff at the airport. I want exactly 20 soldiers in each chopper and the rest in the jets. No more. No less. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." they complied.

Max turned and pointed to the blue-uniformed coyote sitting at the table. "You. Mr. D'Coolette. Rise."

He did just that, brisk and complete with salute. "Oui Monsieur Acorn?"

"Congratulations. You have promoted to General. You are going to lead my men."

"M…moi?! I…I…"

"Yes. I sense great potential within you. Don't worry. You'll do fine. I trust in you."

"I…I…" Antoine couldn't utter a word. He almost fainted.

Sonic clapped his hands in appluase. "Way to go Antoine! You're the man now, dog…err…coyote!"

Bunnie patted him on the back. "Congrats muffin!"

The blue hedgehog stood up and gave a bow. "Hey…um…Mr. Max. Me and the gang are gonna go too. Is that cool?"

"But of course. That's fine and dandy, Sonic. But…"

He looked toward his daughter.

"Sally is staying here. A battlefield is no place for a Princess."

She glared at him, but didn't even bother arguing. King Max's word was final. Besides, she wouldn't be much of help in a heated battle…and she knew it. Her speciality was strategy and stealth tactics. No since getting in the way and risking her life. She remembered what happened in Neo Ark.

Sonic took a sip of root beer that he had on the table. An accidental belch caught some disturbed stares. "My bad!…heh heh!"

Sally decided to give the device to her friend. "Here you go Bunnie. Nicole is going to be more useful to you than to me."

"Thank ya kindly. I'll take care of it, no problem."

The King made another declaration. "I'll have the helicopters and fighter jets ready at 10:45 pm sharp. This means you have 20 minutes until then to get ready and prepare yourselves. Once everyone has boarded the choppers, the pilots will take you to Angel Island. Those going via jets follow closely and back them up. The ETA is 11:50 pm…if all goes well without a hitch that is."

"What about us Mr. King?" Charmy asked. "Do you have any mode of transportation for our crew?"

Tails reminded him. "We have the Space Fox, remember?"

"…Oh yeah…forgot about that…"

"You awright Charms?" Vector asked. "That ain't too good that you forgot about that big badass ship."

"I'm fine…I'm just a little sleepy, that's all."

Knuckles gently rapped the bee on the head. "Well you can't get tired now. It's very possible we're about to do battle with Cristine, and we can't take any chances. If I see you sawing logs out there, I'll give ya a good foot in your ass."

Suddenly, a pair of gloved hands appeared from nowhere and covered Charmy's eyes.

"AH!" 

"Guess who?"

"ESPIO! STOP IT! YOU SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH!"

The ninja lifted his hands. "I'm just making sure you stay awake."

Mighty covered his mouth and snickered, trying not to laugh.

"SHUT UP MIGHTY!"

"I didn't…say anything."

The fox rose from his chair. "We'll follow closely behind the choppers. If anyone decides to attack on the way to our destination, we'll back you up. I'm the expert on piloting. Hopefully you'll be in good hands."

The King was grateful. "Thank you Tails."

"You're welcome."

"Okay Sonic…Tails…my troops. Everyone. You are all dismissed. Remember to be at the choppers at 10:45 pm sharp. Be punctual. Synchronize your watches."

The remaining people did so and got to their feet. Quickly, they made their way out of the room.

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
This is your last chance before the venture to Heaven Tower. Make any preparations you need to do. Purchase and equip some skills, customize your C stick commands, replay some completed levels, go to Chao World…whatever you need to get done. Once you touch the red marker near the Space Fox, there's no turning back.

The night sky was clear. The clouds appeared to have moved on. A full moon was out.

It was time for the grand disembarkment at the airport. The soldiers that were assigned to the mission lined up in 3 separate single file lines, one of them lead by Antoine, for each helicopter. King Max and the other half of his brigade stood back some distance and watched them, hands behind his back. The whirring blades and whining engine drowned out any other outside noise.

At the Space Fox, a single file line lead by Sonic, jogged up the ramp and into the interior. Knuckles, Vector, Charmy, and Mighty took the back row. Rotor, Espio, and Bunnie took the middle row. Sonic had the whole front row to himself. He was lying back chillin'. The hedgehog stretched his whole body out and got comfortable. Tails was alone in the Captain's Quarter's, taking the great responsibility of the Pilot. He checked all the panels and switches like clockwork. 

One by one, the choppers and jets left the ground. The troops inside didn't look out the window. They were focused on the mission at hand.…except for David Kaiser. He waved energetically. Max cracked a smile and simply nodded back. All 3 were now airborne heading north. The Space Fox gained speed and took up the rear, only a few hundred feet away. In the front window, a peace sign appeared from below. Sonic's hand. Sally gave a single wave.

The King and his men stood by and watched until the helicopters, fighter jets, and the futuristic ship disappeared into the darkened horizon. The old squirrel silently wished them all luck and prayed for their safety. For this was the point of no return.

"See anything Tails?" the blue blur asked, not even bothering to get up.

The fox was steady at the ship's controls. "Nope. It's all on the up and up. Everyone seems to be doing just fine."

"Do…do you think we stand a chance against her?" Charmy asked, nervously. 

"I dunno." Knux replied. "We'll find out once we get there."

"I just hope we're not wasting our time gathering all these troops only to have Cristine make a clean getaway." Espio commented.

"Accordin' to Nicole here, the emeralds are still in the same spot…still at the top of the tower."

Mighty had a thought. "It'd be great if someone from G.U.N. or Down Unda can use a sniper rifle. He could take out the woman from afar, without warning."

"Easier said than done." Rotor said. "Who knows what kind of knowledge the Codex bestowed upon her. How do we know she isn't protected by some kind of force field, or if she can detect beings from miles away? She could probably blow up the planet with a snap of the finger. She could…"

"Now you're just being paranoid." Sonic interrupted. "Chill out Rote. We would've already been gone if that were the case."

"Whatever happens…happens." Vector said with a shrug.

The conversation inside the ship stopped for a few moments until Tails made an observation.

"Angel Island. Dead ahead."

Everyone rushed to the windows to take a glimpse of their soon-to-be destination. The light from the full moon made spotting it easier.

"Estimated time until arrival is 10 minutes." Tails informed the team.

Meanwhile, at the summit of Heaven Tower…that black-hearted woman set the next part of her grand scheme in motion. The sorceress sure knew how to make her presence known. The black clouds formed into a funnel around the tower she stood on.

"Those humans…it seems that they're more resistant than I had anticipated. I should've known better than to rely on those insipid Aliverians. No matter…I, alone, shall rebuild Aliveria to its full glory. And…"

Cristine raised her hands high in the air, and the seven Chaos Emeralds levitated off the floor. The jewels gave a pulse as they spun and surrounded her. 

"Just as The Ruler used the Ethereals to lay the law of the land, I shall use the very same awesome beasts to ravage those that oppose me."

Her shoulder-length hair flapped wildly in the increasing winds, and she began her chant that would unlock the Etherals from their cages. The Chaos Emeralds were about to revert back to their true nature after 12,000 long years.

"Relucrix Soulic Vesuit Freion! UNLEASH THE CHAOS FROM WITHIN! BREAK FREE FROM YOUR PRISONS!!"

Her red robe flailed in the severe gusts of wind that produced from her chant. Faint howls echoed through the sky, no doubt sending chills down the spines of those who heard it. She continued to call the ancient words.

"Distrov Gori Extorious Mepritoa!"

The Emeralds began to glow a bright hot aura. The power felt in the air was simply immeasurable. The release of these beings was only one step away..

"SHIRO THE EARTH DRAGON! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

The orange Chaos Emerald shattered with a blinding light…and a mammoth 32-foot tall bi-pedal dragon roared to life. The powerfully-built beast had hard tan scales, massive wingspan, and a row of jagged spikes protruded down its long spiked tail. Its eyes and razor-sharp teeth gleamed. Shiro circled around Cristine, as if protecting her.

"AQUIOS THE WATER SERPENT! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

The blue Chaos Emerald shattered with a blinding light...and a simply colossal blue serpent slithered around the outside of the tower with a threatening hiss. It was the largest Etheral of all, nearly the length of a football field. Aquios had hard blue scales, long serrated teeth, and it slinked around and around the woman.

"NIATRO THE LIGHTNING TIGER! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

With a blast of searing lightning, Niatro was released from its confines. The 6'8'' tall tiger had light-blue fur with dark blue stripes. Its long spiky hair was yellow and its entire burly body crackled with electricity. Its yellow eyes pulsed with high voltage. He stood to Cristine's left side.

"HEIN THE FIRE WOLF! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

A massive pillar of flames covered the emerald, and out came Hein. The robust wolf's fur was a crimson red, and was about the same height as Niatro. Every time he breathed, a small flicker of flame appeared from his snout. He stood to Cristine's right side.

"EMELIA THE LIGHT FAIRY! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

The sliver emerald exploded in a shower of sunflowers, and a little black-haired girl with transparent wings appeared. Emelia had milky white skin and a sweet innocent expression. She smiled and giggled, then sat behind Cristine, facing out toward the sky.

"VOID THE DARK SPHERE! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

A dark-purple puddle appeared in the floor and swallowed the Emerald up. From that spot emerged Void, a violet orb with a single big red eye. Void was about as large as a wrecking ball. It floated ominously above the summoner's head.

"DEMI THE GRAVITY DEMON! REVEAL THYSELF!!"

The green Emerald melted, and a small silouhette representing a lilith demon appeared in the same spot. Other than its striking white eyes, its willowy body was entirely made of black mist. It wasn't necessarily big, only about 5 feet in length. Demi stood at the edge of the tower, twitching and observing nervously.

Cristine lowered her hands and smiled as she admired her handiwork. After thousands of years of stasis inside the Chaos Emeralds, after providing unparalleled power to Sonic and friends in the past, the seven Ethereals were released and are now under the woman's control.

**"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!"**

"What the?!" Sonic suddenly outburst, looking up toward the sky. He felt his heart skip a beat. Everyone turned to him, concerned.

"Somethin' bothering you Sonic?" Knuckles asked.

"Yeah…you okay?" Espio also asked. "You look spooked."

"No…it's…it's nothing…I just thought I felt something…that's all…"

"Preparing for landing…hang tight people." the fox called.

Following the choppers' lead, the Space Fox steadily lowered onto the Mushroom Hill Plains. The jets were on standby at the nearby airstrip. Everyone evacuated their aircraft in an orderly fashion moments after. Sonic and his gang joined up with Antoine and his. Two other groups had already gathered there, each headed by an assigned leader. 80 members of Station Square's G.U.N. and 60 of Down Unda's task force, an assortment of kangaroos, platypus, and dingoes in heavy riot gear. The three leaders of the groups came together to give proper introductions and handshakes.

A 6'2'' tall gray kangaroo with black stripes and bullet-strapped sashes across his chest stood before his teammates. His body was built like a lean mean fighting machine. He wore a deep red bandana around his head. If Rambo was a furry, he was it.

"Greetings there mates. I'm Commander Stryker, head of the Down Unda task force. Glad to be fightin' along side ya."

"Bonjour. I'm General D'Coolette. I will be leeding the Acorn Royal Army. Glad to be making your acquintance."

"Hiya fellas. Nice to see you all. Sergeant Joe here. I got Station Square's G.U.N. behind me…ready to lay it all on the line."

Suddenly, there were some rustling in the trees and shrubbery surrounding them. The soldiers instantly turned toward the noise, weapons were instantly unsheathed, and they became silent. Sonic and his crew were in caution mode as well.

"…Who's there?" Sonic asked. 

"…"

"…"

"Must kill all humans and mobians…"

"Oh no…" Knuckles groaned. "Not them again…"

Ten…twenty…fifty…one hundred…two hundred…probably more of those Aliverians appeared all around them. Their bodies and souls lacked of freewill and independence, still under that woman's control. They formed a huge circle that surrounded the troops, and that circle began to get smaller and smaller…

Antoine held the Royal Sword tight with both hands. In the blade itself, he saw the reflections of the encroaching angels. "Steady men…steady…"

Sargeant Joe and Stryker also barked their orders, as their group circled to not leave their back turned.

"G.U.N. Get ready, aim…"

"Down Unda! Ready! Aim!"

"Must kill all humans and mobians…" 

The Aliverians began chanting their spells, the perfect time to strike.

The three leaders gave the command. 

"CHAAAAAARGE!!!" the coyote bellowed.

"FIRE!!" the other two screamed.

The Mushroom Hill Plains again erupted with the sounds of war. The clash of magic and weaponry lit up the otherwise silent night. The remains of the SWATbot army were still strewn throughout the swaying grass. The smell of burned metal still lingered.

"How 'bout a face lift?" Sonic yelled as he struck an Angel with a flying kick, right in the chin. 

Knuckles blocked a fire blast with his fists, which ignited them. Using this to his advantage, he rush-punched one right in the breadbasket. It screamed as it became engulfed in flames, and then died out.

"Burn baby burn!"

An ice beam froze one of G.U.N.'s soldiers entirely, and then a shoulder tackle instantly shattered him.

Three of Down Unda's dingos made swiss-cheese out of an enemy from behind.

An Aliverian struck one of Acorn's men with a bolt of lightning, sending him flying face-first into a tree trunk. He didn't move afterwards.

A panicking kangaroo was running from a small enemy group. It seemed to be the end for the marsupial when four well-placed shurikens struck each one of them right in their foreheads. They instantly fell in thuds, courtesy of Espio.

"Death knocks at your door, and you answered."

Charmy and Vector were doing some unusual teamwork involving a big mouth and a projectile bee.

A nervous Antoine was in the midst of it all, standing in a fencing position.

_Stage I: Angel Ambush_ (Player: **Antoine**)   
Mission: Eliminate all Aliverians.  
Night fight! The groups of G.U.N., Down Unda, Acorn, as well as your mobian friends are fighting against the winged army. This stage is going to be quite a struggle. With your Royal Sword, slice through the Aliverians by any means necessary. You don't have to worry about rescuing comrades this time around, just concentrate on offense. Both sides are evenly numbered, but that could easily change for better or worse depending on you. Dodge the fire and ice blasts, and watch the shadows for lightning strikes. Black holes will instantly kill you, so run from it. Tails will be above in the Space Fox, dropping shield or 50 percent Burst powerups periodically. Unlike the first Chaotic Warfare there are rings aplenty, but Rotor won't have any to spare. He'll be too busy tending to the injured. You can use the environment to your advantage. Hide behind a scrap metal pile for cover from an attack, and chop down the occasional tree to get the drop on your foes. If you're at the right place at the right time, you can perform sweet double-team maneuvers with others such as Sonic (he'll run around you, turning you into a blade tornado), Knuckles (he'll jack the enemy up high with an uppercut, and you slice the head off in midair), Bunnie (you two hold hands for a double clothesline that knocks the foe down, and then an impale through the chest), Espio (The ninja will vanish, Antoine stuns with a overhead hilt strike, and then he reappears for a fatal neck twist), Vector (he'll swallow you up and spit you out with the force of a cannonball), Mighty (the armadillo unleashes a blinding flurry of punches, and Antoine finishes it off with a quick cross-slash), Stryker (he'll fire a bullet in slo-mo, which Antoine will slice in half with supernatural precision, hitting two angels in the face) and Joe (crush the victim with an intense assault of gun butts and sword swipes). Press the Z button when it flashes onscreen to activate these combos. You'll get a 10-ring bonus everytime you execute one, not to mention looking cool doing it. Checkpoints will be granted every 4 minutes. Expect to take 20-plus minutes before all the enemies are killed.

With a powerful spin dash to the chest, Sonic defeated the last of the offending Aliverians. He dusted his shoulders off with that confident smile. "Too easy…looks like another victory for the good guys!"

The remaining humans and mobians cheered over their win. Vector and Mighty were flexing their muscles. Espio crossed his arms with confidence. Charmy was doing silly victory poses. Knuckles and Sonic gave each other high-fives. Antoine and Bunnie were hugging each other, relieved they are both still alive.

Casaulties were minimum this time around. Rotor had pronounced their death, and a moment of silence was granted to them.

The three groups began conversing and got to know one another. Though they had just won a hard-fought battle, they still had plenty of fight left in them. Sonic stood out in the wide open grass, checking out the expansive peaceful landscape.

"Glad to see we've managed to squeeze out of another tight situation." Rotor said to Bunnie.

"Whew…me too...me too…"

"Are the emeralds still in the same location?"

"Yeppers, they're still at the top o' the tower."

Sargeant Joe looked through a pair of night vision binoculars and zoomed up toward the sky.

"Don't even try sugah. The place is miles above Angel Island. You won't see a thing with those binoculars." 

"Hmph."

"Yeah…even though this island has fallen onto the ocean, Sky Sanctuary is still afloat in the same place."

"I've noticed…well then…looks like we'll have to investigate further. She's probably hiding up there somewhere. It's time to round up the troops."

Sargeant Joe walked over and whispered into Antoine and Stryker's ear. The French canine then whispered into Tails' ear, who obeyed and began to board the Space Fox. He was already in the captain's seat. Primary setup was complete. Antoine, Stryker, and Joe were about to give their first orders as commanding officers.

"Acorn Royal Army, ATTENTION! FRONT AND CENT'AIR!"

"G.U.N., ATTENTION! FRONT AND CENTER!"

"Down Unda Task Force, ATTENTION! FRONT AND CENTER!"

The three groups came up front and center, each standing in a tight formation before their respective leaders. Sonic and his clan stood in the very back of the Royal Army. Charmy sat on Vector's head to get a better view. Bunnie waved to Antoine, but he didn't notice her.

Joe cleared his throat. "It's time. We are about to ascend the city using the choppers. The departure point will be at the base of Sky Sanctuary. We will meet at the top of Heaven Tower along with the fighter jets. If this setup works out, Cristine will be caught in a pincer attack. She'll be covered on all sides. The Chaos Emeralds are up there, according to a reliable source. Sonic and his compatriots claim that she has possession of them. King Acorn says that she is a very dangerous adversary, and we must use the highest of discretion. That is why I am only letting a portion of G.U.N. accompany me up above. If your last name begins in A through M, you're coming with me. The rest of you stay down here as reserves. Are we clear?"

"Yes Sir!"

Antoine's turn. "Bonjour. You saw what zee Angeles can do. Lady Sisytus is capable of much more power than them. Do not let your guard down. I weel follow Joe's advice and only let some of you come along with moi. If your first name begins in N through Z, you are comeeng. Zee rest stay here as backup. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir!" 

Stryker's turn. "Alright mates! Get ye act together and pay attention! We're gonna go up 'ere and kick some bloody tail! Keep your trigger finger and yer wits sharp! I hope you're ready cuz every single one of ya is comin' with me! GOT IT?!"

"YES SIR!"

"Don't forget us!" Sonic shouted with a hand in the air. "We're gonna be in this too! Right guys?"

"You got it Sonic." Rotor said with an assuring nod.

Knuckles turned his head to the side. "Ready Vector? Mighty? Charmy? Espio?" 

"READY!"

"Yeeeee haw! Let's whip that ol' jessabelle and go home!"

The soldiers that applied boarded the choppers, while the reserves stayed in the plains. The pilots in the jets received the signal and took off. Their destination: The summit of Heaven Tower.

Sonic, Knuckles and the Chaotix, Antoine, Rotor, and Bunnie, as well as the soldiers, arrived at the extraction point in Sky Sanctuary. Tails stayed behind in the Space Fox.

The three leaders gave the silent command to follow them upwards through the ancient city. The coyote was the first, since he had been through here before. The troops climbed the floating city, passing by history of millennia old. The sky was as dark as ever. It was one in the morning. Just as they were reaching the top, unexpected danger came their way from above.

"LOOK OUT!!" Charmy shouted.

One fighter jet came falling down in flames, only a mere few feet away from the crew. It zoomed right past them, catching them all off guard.

Stryker looked around cautiously. "Woo! That was close…is everyone okay?"

"ANOTHER ONE!!" Sonic screamed.

The army leaned up against a nearby tower as another damaged jet came screaming past them. This one had a wing missing and was smoking during its descent.

Everyone looked up toward the sky. Gunfire, explosions, flashes of light…and echoes of menacing roars. They never heard of these strange voices before…except for Sonic. He knew who was up there. He knew that Cristine had done it.

"Just what is goin' on up there? Cristine and the jets must be scrappin'…and it looks like she's winnin'." Vector said.

Sonic closed his eyes and shook his head in dismay. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "The Ethereals…she…she….she set them free…"

Stares were directed toward Sonic, who was looking toward the ground.

Knuckles stepped closer. "What did you say?"

"Remember back at Neo Ark when Mathias talked about the Etherals and how Cristine trapped them inside the Chaos Emeralds?"

"Yeah…" 

"…Let's just say they've come out to play." 

Another fighter aircraft was doing a nosedive off in the distance.

Sonic continued. "These Etherals are extremely dangerous foes, not to be taken lightly whatsoever. Fighting an Etheral is like fighting chaos power itself. If you want to stand a chance of beating them, you will have to give it your all…and even then you might not live. No holding back. They are not a joke. I know from experience. You peeps understand?"

Acorn, G.U.N., and the Down Unda troops nodded in silence, hanging on Sonic's words. They understood.

Knuckles pounded his fists together. "I'm serious when it comes to fightin', Sonic. You know that. You know that better than anybody. Me and the Chaotix will beat these so-called 'Etherals' no problem."

"What about Cristine?" Bunnie asked.

"She's still top priority. If the situation allows, we eliminate her." Joe replied.

"Kay." Sonic nodded. "…then let's keep going."

"ONWARD MEN!" Antoine cried.

"Ahem!"

"…and madamosielle."

"Dang right Twan."

A short while later, they reached the base of Heaven Tower. The sounds of warring factions still rang loud and clear above. Without another utter, the 100+ warrirors climbed it to the top…

There she was…it was her…the Evil woman herself, red-robed blonde-haired Cristine Sisytus, standing amidst the execution at hand. The fighter jets were dropping like flies. Shiro, Hein, Niatro, Emelia, Void, and Demi were flying about, making short work of them. Aquios wasn't anywhere to be seen. These planes were nothing but playthings to the Etherals. 

Off in the distance Niatro raised a paw in the air, and then threw it down with a growl. With laser-like intensity a massive bolt of lightning struck a plane, instantly snapping it in half like a twig.

Shiro easily had a jet trapped in its huge jaws, and crushed it. He chewed it like it was gum.

Another one instantly exploded thanks to a searing ball of flame from Hein's mouth.

Emelia was being pursued, easily darting back and forth between the gunfire. Just when the plane had its sights locked on her, she turned around and put her palms forward. A brilliant flash of light blinded the three pilots in the area.

Demi formed black spheres from its hands and fired them. Two planes were hit, and they immediately shot straight up into the stratosphere, never to be seen again.

Void melted into a liquid and smothered itself all over an airborne vessel, and it simply dissolved into nothingness.

Cristine turned around with that self-satisified smile. Sonic and the army were facing Sisytus…all on the roof of Heaven Tower. A 100+ member brigade against the single woman. It was difficult telling who had the upper hand. Stryker didn't waste any time and opened fire with the submachine gun, aimed directly at Sisytus.

"TAKE THIIIIIIIS!"

It looked like once and for all that this sorceress would be finished, but the bullets simply bounced off an invisible force field that protected her.

"DAMMIT! IT'S NOT WORKING!"

The Etherals continued clearing the sky of their enemies. The black clouds, the thunder, and the lightning kept everyone tense. 

Cristine continued that confident smirk. "Ahh! Well well! I thought I would never see this day. This is interesting…the last of the Ruler's lap dogs standing here before me….it's been quite a while…Mach…"

The blue hedgehog took several steps ahead of the pack, unafraid. "Yes it has been quite a while…a long while…tch…I should've killed you when I had the chance." 

"Yes…you should've. Too bad you won't get that chance again, Wind Etheral."

"We'll see about that. You're going to pay for the suffering you've caused around the world. Your plans stop right here. Right now."

"I'll have to give credit where it's due Mach, if I didn't reside in your ageless body through all these years, I wouldn't have existed. Haha…thank you."

"You're not welcome. This ends now Cristine." 

The ever rash Stryker hollered the command. "TROOPS!! CHAAAAARGE!!"

"Guys! Wait!" Sonic yelled, trying to stop them. But it was no use.

The first twenty of Stryker's troops rushed ahead with assault rifles in hand. Cristine just stood there, admiring their tentacity. As they closed in, she raised a palm and uttered some words to herself.

"Winsori Exliron Zeisiuv!"

A blue light pulsed from her hand, and an invisible force easily blew all twenty of them off the tower. They screamed as they went falling down into the clouds below. The others only watched in shock.

"NOO!" Strkyer shouted in frustration. "YOU DAMN WIIIIITCH!!"

The kangaroo fired more rounds in anger, only to be blocked once more by a protective shield.

Two single-file lines of Acorn soldiers ran along the edge of the roof, both heading for Cristine. Their swords were aimed. 

"Is this some kind of joke?" the woman snickered to herself.

She stood there and let them have their fun. Their swords were swingin', but the force field repelled every attack. 

"Time's up! Heh heh!"

With a wave of the hand, she summoned a green light from below. It wrapped around the unsuspecting Acorn soldiers, making them cry in anguish. When it subsided, they were nothing but clucking chickens and squealing pigs. They scurried all over the place.

"HOLY CRAP!" Mighty yelled. "Look what happened to them!"

"What kind of trickery is this…" Espio muttered.

"Stop this right now!" Sonic screamed, but the commotion drowned out his cries. 

"No no no…" Antoine put a hand on his forehead and kneeled down, feeling as though he had failed.

Sargeant Joe, armed with a flamethrower, decided to head the next attack. "Foul woman! Alright G.U.N., bullets and swords didn't work. Let's try fire. Remember to stick and move, stick and move!"

"Yes sir!"

"CHARGE!"

The 33 strong G.U.N. group spread out in a V formation and advanced forward. At the front, Joe let loose with a huge blast of flames. No effect. The flames simply wrapped around the seemingly impenetrable bubble around Cristine. 

She retaliated with another spell. "Agaceration!"

They ran to try and dodge it, but to no avail. Huge silver beams from above engulfed the entire team. Painful screaming eventually died into tired groans. When the beam disappeared, every single member of G.U.N. had grown old and fragile, wrinkles and all. Cristine had cast some sort of age acceleration spell on them.

"Oh mah stars…she changed them into old fogies…"

"No…" 

Charmy was scared, and hid behind Mighty. "This…can't be happening…" he whimpered. The bee felt a lump in this throat…about ready to cry.

Sonic's aggressive army suddenly wasn't so aggressive anymore. Some of them even took a step back, and had every right to do so. Antoine and Sonic ran and kneeled over Joe's now-ancient and helpless body.

"It's okay mon ami. We'll get you and your men out of here…" 

"Uuuh…..aa….."

"(My god...)" many soldiers thought.

"Hang on man. Just hang on. I'll have Tails and the others come pick you up. Just hang on, okay?" 

"aa…."

"Old men in front of me. Pigs and chickens to the sides of me…" Mighty muttered. "…This really sucks…"

"As you idiots can plainly see, I'm not to be taken lightly. With my Dark Arts and the Etherals on my side, no one…not even you Mach…can stop me."

"You would be nothing without that book. NOTHING!" Knuckles growled.

"Who cares? What matters now is power, and I've got plenty of it. Ha…look at you, your 'mighty' army has been reduced to a mere sideshow. Haha! I cannot help but laugh at this sad spectacle." 

Mighty gritted his teeth and felt tightness in his fists. He began breathing hard. "I don't know how we'll destroy you woman, but we will. Count on that. Your days are numbered. I'll knock that stupid-ass grin right off your face."

"Big words from the armadillo! Care to back that boast up?"

Mighty took a few steps forward, only to be stopped by Espio's hand on his shoulder. "Don't man. Don't. You saw what just happened. Relax."

"…Urrrrrgg…"

"Smart move. Now as much as I'd like to stay and entertain all of you, I have some pressing matters to attend to… If you want to face me and have a chance to save your precious little world from being cleansed, destroy all 7 of my Etherals who will stand in your way. Shiro, Niatro, Hein, Aquios, Emelia, Void, and Demi are sure to make your lives a living Hell. If by some miracle you manage to do that, I'll be waiting at the Royal Capital in the New Aliveria."

Sonic's body was heating up, shaking in steadily increasing fury. "Why you…"

"New Aliveria…you stay the HELL away from my island!!"

"Yeah! Stay the hell away from the man's island!!" Vector added. "Better yet…stay the hell away from our planet!"

"It's too damn bad that you don't have a say in the matter. You should be happy that your little island is finally getting some recognition. Now without further ado…"

Cristine Sisytus snapped her fingers. "NIATRO!! COME FORTH!!"

In a split-second blast of lightning, the blue tiger appeared. He stood tall beside her.

"Niatro…annihilate them." 

"Yes…Master…"

With that, Cristine wrapped herself in a column of pure light and disappeared out of sight. The remaining fighters didn't move as Sonic and Niatro had a stare down. These two go back, waaaaaaay back.

Niatro didn't say anything as he began charging up some electrical energy between his paws. At first it began as a tiny orb, and then it grew at an alarming rate until it was the size of a wrecking ball. The energy was through the roof. Things aren't faring too well for Sonic and the troops.

"Farewell Sonic…and your comrades."

The tiger threw his hands forward and released the energy toward blue blur's group. The orb was destined to hit them, and everyone braced themselves. Out of instinct…or perhaps something else…Sonic closed his eyes and put his hands forward, as if trying to block it. 

As soon as the huge orb hit Sonic, a bright blue flash had blinded everyone for a split second. Everyone was untouched. It was gone.

Niatro couldn't believe what just happened. "(What?! Did…did Mach just…cancel out my attack?! That's...that's impossible! No way he could've done that!")

"Sonic! What…what the HELL did you do?!" Knuckles asked with a stunned look on his face.

The hedgehog was just as stunned, staring into his trembling gloved hands. "I…I…I don't know…" 

"You don't know? YOU DON'T KNOW?!"

"NO I DON'T! Sheesh! All I remember is that big electric shot coming this way…and then I…blacked out for a second..."

"You blacked out?"

"…I…I think so…"

"Sonic…are you feeling okay?"

"…Yeah…why?"

"Nothing. Never mind. Well…whatever that was, you just saved our asses." 

"Uhh…thanks Rad Red…"

Approximately 15 seconds later, the Space Fox and the three choppers appeared. Talk about good timing.

"All aboard!" Tails announced.

Sonic nodded his head. "Go you guys. Get Joe and his team onboard. I'll handle Niatro myself. Go back to King Acorn's castle. I'll handle him, as well as the rest of the Etherals…on my own."

Knuckles disagreed and stood right before his blue rival. His eyes connected with his. "Hell no! You can't do this on your own Sonic!" 

"Yeah sugah-hog…we'll be with you right to the very end. Isn't that right Twan?"

"Oui oui mon chere. Weel be having your back."

He turned away from Knuckles. "I appreciate the thought you guys, but trust me. I can do this on my own."

"…"

"…"

"Guys. Go. Now."

"Sonic…we…we can't just…"

"Leave you here…"

**"WOULD YOU ALL JUST GET A DAMN CLUE AND GO? WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?"**

Sonic screamed and pointed toward the Space Fox and choppers, eyes coming to life. His quills seemed to stand out even further. Some could swear that they saw a fang or two suddenly protruding from his mouth. Everyone looked at each other in silence and…almost fright of the Wind Etheral. Not another word was uttered as the remaining troops helped carried the chickens, pigs, the impaired Joe and his compatriots on board the choppers.

Knuckles and the Chaotix, Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor went on with Tails.

"What's up guys?" the fox asked. "Why isn't Sonic coming onboard?" 

"See those Ether thingies over there? He's going to fight those on his own. We can get to Cristine and end all of this if all 7 of them are killed." Charmy replied.

"…On his own? That doesn't sound like him. There's no way he can do all that by himself. I'm sticking around and helping out. I don't care what he says. This ship is advanced enough; it should be able to handle a couple of fights."

"Also Tails, Sonic did something mad weird." Vector added.

"Mad weird?"

"Yeah…one of those Ethers were about to fry us with this huge-ass blast of lightning, but the blue man did some kind of…whatever…and saved the day."

"Some kind of whatever? What're you talking about?"

"That's the thing man. We don't know. Sonic looked like he was trying to block it, and then some kind of light blinded us, and then the lightning was gone."

"…Really. Interesting…"

"Yeah…"

"I am theenking Soneek eez some kind of demon, non?"

"Oh pshaw Twan! Don't be silly."

"(Something's definitely going on with Sonic…something…frightening…)" Espio thought. 

"Hmmmm...we'll worry about that later. Let's take care of these Etherals."

The Space Fox remained in the area, while the other three helicopters fled back to home base. Tails was going to help his best friend no matter what.

Sonic and Niatro stood at opposite ends of Heaven Tower's roof. The hedgehog hunched down in a three-point stance, ready to strike. The tiger tightened up his body and began to surge with electricity. It was Etheral versus Etheral.

_Boss: Niatro - The Lightning Tiger Etheral_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
This is the first of several intense boss fights in this chapter. One thing to remember when fighting Niatro is to KEEP MOVING. Niatro will summon three huge shadows that appear in random spots, followed shortly by gigantic bolts of lightning striking those very spots. This will happen constantly throughout the entire fight, so keep your wits about you. The tiger will come at you with three rushing jolt punches. Move out of the way to avoid them. If you get hit with a punch, the electricity will stun you. Mash on the buttons repeatedly to snap out of it. He'll also stomp his foot down, causing a burst of purple voltage in a wide radius. Jump or stay out of range. If you get caught in it, your legs will be shocked and your speed is cut in half. It'll wear off eventually. To win this fight, wait until he is at the edge of the roof, and then hit him. Use a homing attack if his claws are down by his abdomen, or use a spin dash if his claws are up by his chest. Do it correctly and he'll fall back and hang off the ledge. Do it wrong and he'll simply block it. Once you've got him hanging, do a bounce attack on his claws to make him fall. He'll take damage, but he'll quickly climb back up. Everytime you damage Niatro, one more random bolt of lightning will be added to the mix. Stay extremely focused, as up to seven bolts of lightning will strike simultaneously. Once you've hurt him 4 times, hit him once more when he's near the edge to activate a cutscene and put an end to this Etheral. Defeating Etherals will reward the character with 300 rings to his/her account.

Niatro stood there tired and defeated. His power had fizzled. He was dangerously close to falling, and didn't have the strength to mount any kind offense, much less defense. With a rageful scream, Sonic rushed forth and unleashed multiple crushing hooks to the face followed by a mighty flip kick which sent the tiger flying off the tower. He vanished beneath the blanket of clouds. The blue blur stood here, fuming. 

"That's…one…down…"

A short while later, an aura of electrical energy shot back from below those clouds and struck right into Sonic's chest.

"Gah!"

The hedgehog stepped back and his body glowed for just a second. He gripped his chest tight and kneeled down. Whatever it was…he felt a bit more renewed…a bit more powerful. A voice from within Sonic spoke to him…

_"Stop her…"_

Tails was busy chasing down Emelia in the Space Fox. The little fairy was swerving back and forth between the ion cannon shots.

"She's a tricky one." The fox said. "But I'll get her…"

His wild piloting had the passengers rocking back and forth, hanging on by the seat of their pants. A big searing fireball suddenly came from the left side, but a well-timed plasma shield blocked it.

"Hoo. A split-second too late and we would've been hurting. Almost didn't see that one coming."

"Do you want me to drive?" Rotor asked. "You look like you're having trouble."

"I'm cool Rotor. Thanks. I never met a target I couldn't hit."

Just as Tails was closing in on Emelia, the ship shook from the impact of something big landing on the roof. The Space Fox descended for a bit before getting steady.

"I think we have a visitor up above." Espio told Knuckles.

"I know… Tails, open the ceiling hatch. I'll take care of our little stowaway."

"Sure thing Knux. Opening hatch…now."

With a simple flip of the switch the little door above slid open, allowing for an exit. A small ladder unfolded down to the floor. The echidna didn't waste any time getting on the first rung.

"I'll help too." Mighty said, right behind him.

"Alright Mighty. Vector, Charmy, and Espio…Stay in here. I'll call you if we need anything." 

"Awright man. Be careful. You too Hardback."

"I will."

Knuckles and Mighty exited through the hatch and held their ground on the Space Fox's roof. It soon closed. What stood before the two was the Hein, the Fire Wolf Etheral. His red fur was a couple shades darker than the echidna. His striking sky-blue eyes were quite a contrast to his fur. Small flames kept burning from his snout as he breathed. Like Niatro, he stood tall.

Meanwhile, Tails slowly but surely was catching up to Emelia. She turned around and fired some light orbs, but the Space Fox weaved to the right and dodged them. The armadillo and echidna had to keep steady.

"You guys okay up there?" Tails announced through the speakers. 

Mighty's eyes were on Hein. "We're cool Tails." 

Hein snarled to himself. "Cool huh? I'll show you that this fight will be anything but 'cool'. Master Sisytus demands that all opposition be cremated."

Tails continued firing at the fleeing female Etheral.

_Boss: Hein - The Fire Wolf Etheral & Emelia - The Light Fairy Etheral_ (Player: **Tails** & **Knuckles**)   
It's double trouble now in the unfriendly skies. Control will alternate between Tails and Knuckles at 90 second intervals. Tails will go first. Using the Space Fox, chase down Emelia and wail on her with cannon shots and/or homing beams. She is very tricky to hit, as she is constantly moving back and forth and changing directions. Do your best to keep up. Watch when Emelia turns around, she is about to fire multiple swarms of light orbs your way. If they are coming from the right, speed boost and weave to the left. If coming from the left, speed boost and go right. If from below, boost and ascend. If from above, boost and descend. You can use your plasma shield to block them if you want, but you run the risk of overheating and leaving yourself open. When you chip away her HP down to half, watch out. She will turn around and put her hands to her forehead, and a bright aura will start to shine. When you see this happen, move so that Emelia is OFF THE SCREEN. If you don't by the time she unleashes the Sun Flare, you'll be blinded for 20 seconds. You won't see anything but pure white during that time, which pretty much makes you a sitting duck. She'll make short work of you. Emelia will be using this technique regularly until you reduce her HP down to zero and eliminate her.

Knuckles and Mighty will have their hands full here. Hein is a living, breathing fireball. The crimson wolf will be rushing to and fro around the roof, leaving behind flames. Watch yourself. The battlefield will quickly be engulfed if you don't pay attention. If Knuckles catches on fire, your ring count will drain until death. Push the analog stick back and forth quickly to put it out. If moving around the ship proves too hot for you, go to the hatch in the center and push the B button. The echidna will call Tails down below to put out the flames. The fox will comply by speed boosting, effectively putting out the fire. One attack that you'll have to watch for is the fast blue fireball he shoots at you. If you get hit, a small blue flame will hover over your head for 15 seconds. Hein will say "Jump and you die." He's right. During that time, jumping will cause the blue flame to roast you alive. Don't leap until the flame extinguishes. As long as Emelia is alive, expect the ship to lean right and left from time to time, as Tails is doing his thing as well. Adjust your running accordingly to avoid falling off. If you see Emelia charging up, remember to turn away so that she is OFF THE SCREEN. The fairy can also blind you even if you aren't fighting her. If you lose vision while fighting Hein, you're pretty much toast. When the red wolf is at one of the three corners of the roof, he will crouch down into a stance. Move your ass off the roof and hang onto the side of the ship. He will unleash a devastating sweeping flame breath that covers the entire field. When he's finished, he will take a few seconds to rest. Climb along the side toward Hein and then wail on him with punch combinations. Mighty's punch is especially effective here. If you got any Burst, spend it. Once you've knocked his HP down to zero, he's gone.

Both Hein and Emelia cried out as their lifeless bodies fell to the planet below.

"…That was intense." a tense Tails said to himself, then turned to Knuckles and Mighty coming back in. "You two okay?"

"We're a little sore, but otherwise fine." Mighty replied.

"He's tough, but we're tougher."

A few seconds after, a red aura of energy and a white aura of energy went screaming past the Space Fox and toward the top of Heaven Tower.

"Whoa…what're those things?" Tails asked.

The other passengers zipped to the windows, watching their paths.

The two auras screamed through the sky and struck their destination: Sonic. The hedgehog yelped in shock as his body changed from blue, to red, to white, and then back to blue again. Two voices from within spoke to him. 

_"Mach…my old friend…give her Hell…"_

"You're our only hope now…"

"Those lights struck zee hedgehog! I hope he eez okay!"

"I don't know Twan…we should go over there and see how he's doin'."

"Good idea. Let's go pick him up now. It appears there aren't any more of those Etherals around here."

The ship turned toward True Blue and began to accelerate. He saw them coming and simply looked at them. Just as they were closing in, a misfortune befell the team. From below the clouds an intense beam of water impaled right through the hull of the ship.

"TAILS!!" Sonic screamed, watching in horror.

Various sirens and warnings went off as everyone panicked from the impact.

"MALFUNCTION. MALFUNCTION. 50 PERCENT OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS INOPERATIONAL. 50 PERCENT OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS INOPERATIONAL. PRIMARY ENGINES INOPERATIONAL. RUNNING ON SECONDARY SUPPLY."

Tails shook his head. "Gah…I should've known better than to let my guard down."

Another forceful water beam from below thrust right through the ship's hull again. The vessel shook violently from the impact. More bad news emitted from the speakers.

"MALFUNCTION. MALFUNCTION. CRITICAL DAMAGE TO SECONDARY SUPPLY ENGINES. CRITICAL DAMAGE TO SECONDARY SUPPLY ENGINES. 100 PERCENT OF WEAPONS SYSTEMS INOPERATIONAL. POWER FAILURE IS EMINENT."

The ship started going down. The engines no longer had enough power to keep the ship at a steady altitude. A frightened Sonic watched it begin a nosedive. 

"TAILS!! GUYS!! HOLD ON!!" the blue hedgehog screamed again.

He took several steps back to give himself some room, then ran and took a leap of faith off the tower's roof.

"We're going to die mon chere!! We're going to die!! IEEEEEEEEE!"

"Put a sock in it Antoine!"

The Space Fox began heading down toward Earth. They were at 45,000 feet…then 40,000 feet…then 35,000…then 30,000…a few landmarks became recognizable now. Unlike everyone else, Tails managed to keep cool given the circumstances.

"Just hang on you guys. We might live through this yet."

"Not very comforting words, Tails." Knuckles said.

Charmy was beside himself, panicking and crying. Espio was trying to calm him down.

Sonic kept his arms to himself and aimed his head down, falling down through the clouds like a spear. The multi-colored lights of several cities were slowly becoming visible. There was the Space Fox a few hundred feet away, and he was getting closer and closer to it…

Suddenly, a massive black laser shot right past the hedgehog's face. Sonic instantly turned around and saw the source of it. There was Void, the shady Dark Sphere Etheral, floating before him. Its creepy red eye stared right into him.

"I will murder those that stand in Master Sisytus' way. If you want to rescue your friends, you will have to defeat me."

"Shoot! Shoot!! SHOOT!!! Talk about bad timing…I gotta beat Void real fast if I want to save Tails and his friends, as well as not becoming a blue pancake."

At 25,000 feet Sonic, Void, and the Space Fox continued the rapid descent toward Earth.

_Boss: Void - The Dark Sphere Etheral_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Skydiving has never been quite like this. You'll get a bird's eye view of the action as Sonic and Void fall through the sky. Only two commands are available at this time: Movement (by analog stick) and spin-dashing (B button). You'll notice a rapidly decreasing number in the upper-right corner of the screen. This number represents your current altitude in feet. It begins at 25,000. Defeat the boss before the number reaches 5,000, otherwise you'll lose a life. You'll start the bout with one ring. If you get hit, the ring will be long gone. Basically, it's two hits and you're dead here. Defeating Void will take some nimble maneuvering and a keen eye. It will teleport at various places, firing three dark spears in different directions. It will also use an unavoidable tractor beam to pull you in. Hold the analog stick in the opposite direction, adjusting movement as Void floats around to avoid getting absorbed into immediate death. Once in a while, it will create 5 more duplicates of itself. The six will spread out and surround the perimeter. Watch yourself, as they are preparing for a dangerous attack. The Voids will fire continuous dark beams into the center, effectively dividing the screen into six pieces. Make sure Sonic is positioned in a safe spot. The Voids will start to circle around, causing the beams to sweep the area in a clockwise/counter clockwise manner. They'll switch directions constantly to keep you on your toes. Keep the hedgehog between them. Once they're finished, you'll only have a few moments to deal damage. Watch the Voids closely. Only one of them is real and is slightly different from the others. Look for any irregularities like an eye blinking, odd movement, unusual size, etc. Spin dash into the correct one to harm it. Get it wrong and it'll disappear, and you'll have to wait for another chance. Remember, time is not on your side here. 4 hits will put Void down and out.

Void sighed as it closed its eye, and then exploded with an extravagant light. A moment afterwards a dark aura appeared. It quickly zipped into Sonic's chest.

"Urrga…" he gritted his teeth, feeling the soothing yet pain-staking burn.

_"You can do it…"_

The ship went down towards the vast land. Closer and closer they sank toward the trees. The blue hedgehog was relieved seeing that the Space Fox hasn't gone too far ahead of him.

"Hang on fellas…just hang on…"

Sonic speared forth with such intensity and held on to the back of the ship. He pressed his whole body against the vessel and revved up his legs as fast as he can. Focusing his entire body, the sheer velocity of his propeller-like legs slowly moved the Space Fox toward the ocean. He poured his entire being into pushing his friends into safety.

"GaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"HANG ON EVERYBODY! This is going to be a bit of a rough landing."

"Hey!" Mighty shouted, looking out the window. "I think our ship is moving toward the water! We might make it!"

Positioned between the dead rear thrusters, Sonic kept the pressure up. Little by little, he kept pressing the huge spaceship out of land's way. His body was getting so hot that steam was actually starting to come off it. The hedgehog began screaming as he took himself to the limit, perhaps even farther.

"Somebody up there likes us!" Charmy shouted.

Tails pulled back on the control stick, making the nose of the ship face upwards. Thanks to Sonic's efforts, the Space Fox collided with the ocean…just barely…causing a huuuuuge splash. Sonic nimbly leapt on top of the ship and held tight. The impact caused everyone aboard to explode out of their seats. 

"EMERGENCY FLOATATION SYSTEM ACTIVATED."

It kept skipping across the surface of the water for thousands of feet, before finally coming to a stop. Neon green lights beamed from under the ship, providing energy that somehow kept the ship buoyant.

"…We made it…" Tails said with a sigh of relief. "Phew…you guys cool back there?"

All the mobians replied with a tiresome groan. They were scattered all around the ship in different positions. It was safe…at the moment.

The sound of something can barely be heard in the distance. Then it got louder…and louder. No one noticed it at first, until Knuckles saw a silhouette out the window.

"What in the hell…"

Mighty looked and saw it too. "Ohhhhhh crap…"

"What is it y'all? What's gotten y'all all spooked?... … Oh…oh… mah stars…"

It swam through the water at incredible speed, heading straight for the downed ship. A fatigued Sonic was on his knees, staring at the incoming menace with half-open eyes. Fighting Niatro, and then fighting Void, then pushing the Space Fox to safety took a lot out of him.

"REAWAKEN CITY OF ALIVERIA! RISE FROM YOUR 12,000 YEAR SLEEP!"

Angel Island was soon to be no more. Cristine Sisytus alone had begun transforming Echidnapolis into the former glory of the city of long ago. The old buildings vanished and shining skyscrapers appeared in their place, high-powered automations again roamed the airways, and machines appeared like magic. The culture of the echidnas was being erased from existence.

Standing in the center of the new city, the sorceress and the entire island were bathed in an evocative blue aura. Her eyes glowed bright like a demon possessed as the island began to rumble…then it began to float.

"TO THE HEAVENS, ALIVERIA! TO THE HEAVENS!"

Angel Island increased in elevation, leaving the world once again…without the energy from the Master Emerald. Up into the atmosphere the native land went. It continued for miles, until it stopped right in its original location. Her eyes and the island ceased glowing.

"The city is almost complete…the island is in proper position…and now…" 

Cristine thrust her palms toward the ground. Arcane symbols appeared where she stood, and the area around her began to shake. 

"For my new home."

The civilization shook with a spine-tingling tremor. Rising from the ground like the undead, was the most prestigious establishment of Aliveria. The magnificent splendor known only as The Royal Capital made its presence clear. This was the very place where the Almighty Ruler was assassinated… 

"Ahhhh….yes….The Aliveria Royal Capital…only a throne of this magnitude is fitting for a woman such as me, the most powerful being in the world and beyond."

The capital, as well as all nine districts, were in full form. The past and the present were now one and the same.

"Phase one is done, but before I start phase two…"

Cristine stepped off the roof and slowly lowered on down to the grand stairs. She started to walk toward the outskirts of the city. An ever-growing smile appeared on her face as she walked toward the group of soldiers in the field, out cold. G.U.N., the Acorn army, and Down Unda troops, had an unfortunate run-in with her magic.

"I should just destroy these inferior pieces of trash…but…"

With a wave of the hand, a violet radiance wrapped around the fighters.

"They might just provide a use for me yet…"

The revival of the New Aliveria was half completed…

Hundreds of feet below the ocean's clear blue surface, off the coast of the Miyuki continent, was a top-secret submarine. The underwater vessel was 90 feet in length, dark blue in color, heavily armored with three layers of integrated steel, and armed to the teeth with seismic torpedoes. 

_"Approaching target at 12 o'clock. Approximately 1000 feet ahead. Whoa…looks like Master Watkins was right…"_

_"Of course he was right. Damn! Would ya look at that! The damn place is floating, just like Watkins said."_

_"What could be causing it sir?"_

_"The hell should I know? All we know is that the boss has enlisted our boy for the job. He will eliminate whatever is causing it."_

_"I sure hope this kid knows what he's doing."_

_"Don't worry. He does. Hey Magnum! Get ready for deployment!"_

"Yes sir…"

_"Good. Now listen up. Once the refinery returns to the ocean and you come back in one piece, we will consider the mission is accomplished. If you do not return at 11:00 hours, we will assume that you have failed, and the mission will be aborted. In the event that the authorities apprehend you, we will deny all knowledge and it is in your best interest to keep your mouth shut. Are we clear on this?"_

"Crystal."

_"Good boy. Note that 'Magnum' will be your code name for the entire mission, for confidentiality purposes. You will respond to 'Magnum' and nothing else. Understand?"_

"Understood." 

_"Failure to comply with these regulations will result up to and including termination of our contract…and possibly your life. Understand?"_

"Understood."

_"Great. Now brace yourself Magnum for high-speed deployment. G-forces will be extremely high. Keep your body stabilized. Get ready." _

"Yes sir…"

_"Launching in 5…4…3…2…1…"_

The otter Captain James, leader of the sub, flipped a switch on the console. The slight vibration in the floor meant that the lone torpedo had launched. It sped through the blue aquatic world for several seconds, before a panel opened up. From the torpedo, a mobian in a tight black suit jettisoned from it. He swam with ease toward the surface, and was now right underneath the huge floating refinery. It was about 107 feet in the air. Multiple streams of oil poured and polluted the water below.

The mobian spoke into his micro-headset. "I am now underneath the refinery. There is a large amount of oil leaking from above."

_"Okay Magnum. Now proceed with the infiltration phase as planned."_

"Yes sir…"

Magnum raised his arm toward the sky and pushed a button. A thin yet extremely durable wire/hook shot from his wrist. It whizzed up high, and then latched onto a small grated ledge. Pushing another button the wire retracted, bringing the mobian up with it. He grabbed ahold of the ledge and hoisted himself onto it with little effort. That was easy.

The mobian was about 4 feet tall, encased in a black suit that tightly held to every curve of his body. A multi-tier kevlar vest was strapped around his upper body. He had a sleek, waterproof gray backpack equipped. The equally black mask was made to conform to his face, including the snout and ears. Attached to that snout was a small cylinder-shaped oxygen tank. An orange rectangular visor revealed his eyes.

"Magnum here. I have successfully infiltrated the Oil Ocean Refinery Plant." 

_"Excellent. Master Watkins expects great things from you Magnum. Again, your mission objective is to neutralize the source of this anomaly."_

"Understood sir."

_"Give me a visual Magnum."_

Watkins' Oil Ocean Refinery was a mess. Crude oil had spilt everywhere and down into the water below. Tanks have ruptured, as well as a significant percentage of machines and pumps were malfunctioning. Chunks of scrap metal and debris littered the factory.

"It's chaos up here. Oil is everywhere, and seems like half the machines stopped working. There's destruction all over the place."

_"Just as we figured. You're better off keeping the suit on. Exposure to crude oil for long periods of time can prove lethal. Do you have your IC-23 pistol with you?"_

"Yes I do."

Magnum received the IC-23 pistol!

_"Good. Security robots are most likely malfunctioning as well, and it's a possiblility that they'll shoot at anything that moves. With standard gunfire, you run the risk of igniting the oil. With this specially designed gun, you can fire cryogenic rounds. These non-flammable bullets will release freezing agents into whatever target it penetrates, organic or inorganic, effectively slowing it down or even paralyzing it. It holds 30 rounds and there is no replenishable ammunition on site, so once you're out, you're out. Don't waste it."_

"I won't, sir."

_"Good. Now begin the mission. Watkins expects favorable results."_

"Yes sir."

Magnum reached around the back of his head and pinched a hidden compartment. With a tiny hiss, the mask's frontal plates loosened and he took it off. There was the face of a hyena, tan with brown spots and cold hazel eyes. Broad, rounded ears and scruffy fur were noticeable characteristics. He was extremely talented with handling many types of firearms. With pistol in hand and his wits about him, he cautiously slinked into the mysteriously floating refinery.

_Stage J: Oil Ocean_ (Player: **Magnum**)   
Mission: Find the source of the anomaly.  
As special agent Magnum, the only hardware you have access to is your IC-23 pistol and the wire-hook. Push left or right on the C-stick to switch between them. He doesn't have a Burst Meter, therefore he doesn't have any Burst techniques. Push left, right, down, or up and the X button to do a rolling somersault in that direction. You can knock down enemies this way. The Oil Ocean refinery is swamped with crude oil. Wading through it will slow you down as well as gradually depleting your ring count, so don't stay in it too long. Slide down slick ramps, ride elevators, and pull switches to activate transportation orbs. Deadly enforcer robots have gone haywire, and will attack upon detecting you. The preying mantis bots chuck boomerang-esque scythe blades, eagles drop Molotovs that ignite oil spills, and mounted turrets unleash rapid fire (though they can be deactivated by getting behind them and flipping a switch). Remember that you only have 30 rounds, so make those shots count. Otherwise, you can try and get around them. There are points in the stage where you'll need to cross wide chasms or get to a seemingly impossible location. It's time for your wire-hook to come into play. Hold the R button to aim in first-person view. Look for designated spots (marked with a yellow arrow) and push the A button to launch your wire-hook. If aimed right, you'll make contact and zip to your location with ease. Complete the stage by reaching the source of the floating phenomenon. 

Keeping the pistol steady around his finger, Magnum approached a large round room. His eyes did a visual sweep of the area. The floor was grated steel. He could see the darkened water below. Piston-powered machines and massive one-ton tanks of oil lined the outside of the circle. In the center was a huge four-sided pillar, standing 50 feet tall. Standing on the very top of that pillar was his objective.

The hyena spoke into the headset. "Captain."

_"Yes Magnum. What's your status?"_

"I think I've found the source of the 'anomaly' that you have mentioned. The whole reason this oil refinery is floating." 

_"Good. Very good Magnum. What is it?"_

"It's a weird creature. It looks like it's made of black mist, with some white eyes. Shaped like some kind of demon. It's sitting there like it owns the joint."

The odd creature sat on its hind legs, surveying its newly found territory. It didn't seem to notice Magnum standing there, not yet anyways.

_"A weird monster is responsible for this whole thing…you have got to be kidding me."_

"I don't kid, sir. Ugh…"

_"Is something wrong?"_

"…No. I just felt something, that's all. Some kind of energy…"

_"Energy?"_

"Yeah…I think it's coming from this creature. It's really strong." 

_"Excerise extreme caution then."_

Magnum took off his backpack and unzipped it, then carefully pulled out his Ace in the hole.

"Permission to use the rocket launcher, sir. I have a feeling that a puny ice gun isn't going to eliminate it."

_"…Permission granted. Do whatever it takes to stamp it out. Magnum, we're counting on you."_

"I know, sir."

Just then, the black misty demon spotted Magnum, who had the rocket launcher positioned on his right shoulder. With a high-pitched shriek, it leapt down from its perch and started shuffling towards the hyena.

_Boss: Demi - The Gravity Demon Etheral_ (Player: **Magnum**)   
Demi is the master manipulator of gravity. Sound hard? That's because it is. But with your rocket launcher and your wire-hook, you might pull through. In the center of the round room is a four-sided pillar, mentioned earlier. Near the top of that pillar are four hooks, one for each side. These are very important, so don't forget about them. This battle will begin with Demi trying to maul you with several pounces. Move left or right to avoid them, not forward or backward. Don't try using your rocket launcher just yet; Demi will evade them with ease. After the pounces, it will disappear. Here's where you'll need to pay attention. The refinery will start to tilt in a random direction, until it is at an extremely steep incline. The huge oil tanks will tip over and slide, spilling their contents along the way. To avoid getting damaged by the tanks and the wave of oil, switch to the wire-hook and zip to one of the hooks above. Which hook you cling to is important though. If the wave is coming from the east side of the room, cling to the west side of the pillar. If coming from the north, cling to the south, and etc. Once the refinery reverts back to a level playing field, quickly get back down to the floor or Demi will swipe you with a cheap shot. Watch the splotches of oil. Step carefully until the remaining substance drains through the grated floor. After a few more attempted pounces, it will shoot an unavoidable gravity blast that sends you high, high into the air. You'll need to do a bit of multi-tasking before coming back down to Earth. Use your rocket launcher and aim for the unsuspecting Demi. Fire the weapon to cause damage to it. Now quickly switch to the wire-hook and zip to the pilllar, before the fall damages you. The process repeats. After 5 hits Demi will get irritated and destroy the pillar, rendering your wire-hook useless. It will raise its arms in the air, and its eyes will glow red. After a deep growl, the gravity will be inversed. In a split second the entire oil facility will be turned upside down, literally. With no time to react and nothing to grab onto, you will fall into the ocean. You have failed.

Demi stared with piqued interest as Magnum hit the drink. This etheral was a lot more powerful than it looked. Adding injury to insult, Demi released the hold it had on the entire oil refinery. It began to fall. Magnum was underneath the surface, and he saw what was coming. 

"!!"

In a panic, he swam like a madman. Magnum thrashed his arms and legs with all his might as it came down towards him. The facility splashed down into the ocean with a catastrophic impact, unleashing an immense wall of water. The place itself missed the mysterious agent by only mere yards.

"Brace yourselves! Tidal wave coming this way!" Captain James announced to the crew. 

Everyone in the submarine held on for dear life, just as Magnum did. He dived underneath the surface to minimize the force. The tidal wave had struck them both with such power, with such force. They were pushed back thousands of feet from the water storm.

Demi seemed to have another agenda in mind, and had disappeared.

Once things have settled down, Magnum rose back above the surface and contacted his superior.

"Magnum here. I apologize. I have failed in neutralizing the creature."

_"Holy hell Magnum…we saw the whole damn place turn upside down! Are you okay?"_

"Amazingly, I'm still in one piece, sir."

_"Good to hear you're okay at least. Report back to the submarine. Watkins isn't going to be pleased."_

"I know."

Twenty minutes later inside the submarine, Magnum leaned back in his seat. His black mask sat down by his feet. The expression on the hyena's face read of exhaustion. What an experience that was.

"…Is the mission officially over?" he asked.

"Yes." James replied. "It's over."

"Once again I apologize." 

"Don't worry about so much. The refinery isn't floating anymore, meaning the monster has taken off. So technically…in a way…the mission is accomplished."

"The refinery is also upside down. I hate the see the cost in damages."

"Ha hah…yeah. Me too."

"…"

"…"

"Can I take my stupid mask off now?"

The captain chuckled a bit and smiled. "Sure."

Magnum reached around the back of his neck. With a quick tug he pulled the synthetic hyena mask of his face, revealing a different animal altogether. He then tilted his head toward the ceiling and carefully removed his hazel contact lenses.

"Whew…hot damn that feels good. My face was cooking in that thing, not to mention my eyes were hurting like a bitch."

"Glad you feel better."

"You guys take this confidentiality thing a bit too seriously."

"It never hurts to take some extra necessary precautions. You should know that, Nack."

"Yeah yeah…I know I know."

Meanwhile, at King Acorn's castle…

Max stood there with the most plain faced expression anyone has ever seen. The Station Square President in the monitor had the same plain look on his face as well. Pigs and chickens had run amok in the Throne Room. The guards were scrambling trying to round them all up. It was ridiculous. One chicken had already managed to sit on Max's head like a crown. 

"Now do you see what Cristine Sisytus can do, Mr. President?"

"CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK!!"

"SQUEAAAAAAAAL!" 

_"Uhhh…yes Mr. Acorn…umm…wow…"_

"Tch…she was just toying with us…"

_"G.U.N. didn't fare as well as I hoped, from what I heard."_

"No…she cast some kind of spell that greatly speeds up the aging process. Like I said before…she was just toying with us…"

_"Any word on Sonic and his group?"_

"According to my remaining soldiers, they're fighting the Seven Etherals that Cristine unleashed from the Chaos Emeralds."

_"Seven Etherals?"_

"Yes…Chaotic beasts that were trapped inside crystals. That's what the Chaos Emeralds really were…powerful beings locked in gems."

_"Any idea where they are now?"_

"Last they saw them, they were high above Angel Island…but who knows where they are now."

_"I see… Hmm…do you know where Cristine is?"_

"She disappeared somewhere. Don't know where."

_"…"_

"…"

_"What do you think we should do, Max? 100+ soldiers armed with weaponry were no match for her. We're way outta our league here."_

"For now, we just wait for her next move. I'll send some recon to do a worldwide search." 

_"I'll do the same."_

"There is no need to, Mr. President. For now, you should just concentrate on Station Square."

_"I've got plenty of support Max. Thanks for the thought though. A few intelligence lookouts won't hinder anything."_

"Very well then."

As the discussion between the two men continued, Sally was in the infirmary, tending to the ill. Nurses and chefs were hard at work in taking care of the now-aged men of G.U.N. Heart rates were checked and chicken soup was served. The Princess was tucking one in when someone entered the room.

"Hello."

She turned around, and there was a familiar face in front of her, a member of the Wolfpack.

"Hey there Hugo. What's up?"

"Hi Sally. Long time no see. The Wolfpack have just discovered something or rather…someone of utter importance. If you can, you should come over to our base in Lupine Hollow as quickly as possible."

"Who is it?" 

"A really old owl in a black cloak. He's lying down on one of our rugs right now. He looks like he doesn't have much time left."

"Okay. I'll be there. I just need to get ready first."

"Sure."

Sally scrounged up her things and placed them in her backpack. She knew her father wasn't going to like this, leaving on short notice. But it's not like she out to fight or anything…just seeing an old friend…that's all.

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sally**)   
Make sure you have everything you need before heading back to Lupine Hollow. New trinkets are now available for purchase, so don't forget to check them out! They will be added to the original list from before.

Sonic:  
Ring Power (800): Deal double damage if ring count is at least 100.  
Desperation (800): Deal triple damage if ring count is at 0.

Tails:  
Cooling System (600): Space Fox's overheating period is halved.  
Redirect (750): Weapons meter takes damage instead of life bar – 30 percent chance.

Knuckles:  
Revenge (650): After getting hit, next punch is 4X the power.  
Venom Blow (650): A punch has a 20 percent chance of inflicting poison.

Antoine:  
Lycanthropy (750): Attack power increases as HP decreases.  
Shell Cracker (650): Deal slight damage to blocking enemies.

Nack:  
Trigger Finger (650): Rate of fire is increased.  
Capacity Plus (700): All weapons can hold 1/3 more rounds.

Sally:  
Alertness (300): Radar has increased range.  
Magnetism (400): Lost rings have a 25 percent chance of coming back to you.

Once you've done everything you needed to do, go to the red marker in the forest to the south.

**_Next Chapter: The Seven Etherals: Part II_**


	17. The Seven Etherals: Part II

**Chapter 17 - The Seven Etherals: Part II**

Sally and Hugo arrived in the softly lit den of the Wolf Pack base, where Lupe and her comrades all kneeled down around their new visitor. The cloaked owl lied there on top of the rug, breathing softly. His eyes were barely open. A pillow was placed beneath his head.

"I came as quickly as I could."

"Glad you could make it, Sally. Welcome back." Lupe greeted.

"Thank you. I had to sneak out of the castle, but I don't think Dad will notice anything amongst all the panic going on."

"Strict father?" 

"Something like that. It comes with the territory. Anyways, where's this owl you've been talking about?"

Lupe pointed. "He's right there."

Sally stepped closer toward the living quarters and kneeled down among the other wolves, catching a glimpse of the short, old bird muttering to himself. The fireplace smothered the room in a cozy glow.

"Where did you find him?"

"Scouts found him unconscious in the Drood Henge wastelands several hours ago. We took him in and tended to his care."

"What was he doing there?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. Don't know why anyone would be in a harsh place such as that. No water or life for miles."

Hugo placed a wet cloth onto the bird's wrinkled forehead, trying to cool him off.

"…Sally?"

"Yes Lupe?"

She looked down toward her clasped hands and stood beside Sally, with a worried, almost fearful expression on her face. "How is…Gray? Is my husband okay? Is he…safe?"

The other wolves looked at the two ladies upon hearing her questions.

Sally turned her head down as well. She hated to be the bearer of bad news. "I'm sorry Lupe…I'm so sorry…but Gray is…"

"Sigh…I was afraid of this…"

"Again…I…I'm sorry…" 

"…It's not your fault. The Wolf Pack will remain strong. A part of Gray will live on through me…" she said as he patted her belly.

"You have a bun in the oven?"

"Yeah. About 3 months now."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

…

"You said that this owl is of utter importance. What did you mean by that, Lupe?"

"I have committed a sin." the owl interrupted in a wispy voice.

"I beg your pardon?" Sally asked. "A sin?"

The feathered man's piercing yellow eyes opened wide as he raised his wings up toward the ceiling. He stared at them if they demanded his undivided attention. He continued speaking, seemingly directed at no one in particular. Everyone's eyes were now directed on him.

"I have committed a sin. A great, unforgivable sin."

Sally looked puzzled. "Wha…what are you talking about?"

"I committed a sin that was born from my own greed. I committed a sin that was the medium for the current turn of horrid events. cough! I committed a sin that has finally caught up to me, and rightfully so." 

"Who are you?" Sally asked.

With help from his reliable walking cane, the owl slowly but surely hobbled up on two feet again. His orb necklace shined from the roaring fire, and his black cloak gave him a noble appearance. At 3'9'', he was the shortest in the room.

"I am…known as Archimedes." 

"Archimedes…it's nice to meet you. I'm Lupe. This is Sally, and this is the Wolf Pack."

"I…cough! cough! thank you all for saving me."

"It's no problem, but what were you doing in the wastelands? It's nothing but death out there."

"The birthplace of my sin is out there in that 'wasteland'. I was travelling my way there when fatigue and the heat took its toll on me. I'm…not quite as sturdy as I used to be."

Archimedes came down with several whooping coughs, the severity enough to make him hunch over. He held his chest in pain with one wing while leaning on the walking cane with the other. 

Lupe patted his back. "That sounds terrible. Are you okay?" 

"It's just my age catching up to me, that's all. I think…I have a few years left in me."

"What is this 'sin' you keep talking about?" Sally asked.

"My sin…hmm…instead of telling you, I think it's best if I showed you instead."

"You're going to lead us there?"

"Yes Sally."

"Right now?"

"The sooner, the better."

"In your condition? You can hardly walk." 

"I'm fine. I may be old, but I'm not helpless. But yes, you are right. My mobility is quite limited. If we are going there…this is quite embarrassing but…if it's not too much trouble…could one of you…well…cough!…carry me?"

Hugo volunteered. "Heh heh…I will. I gotcha covered, pops."

"Time is of the essence. When everyone is prepared, we should leave immediately." He said, tapping the cane onto the ground.

Lupe nodded. "It's settled then. Alright everyone. Get ready. Archimedes, you give us the directions and we'll follow."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Pack your things my comrades. We're going to Drood Henge. Wolf Pack, move out!"

Lupe pushed a near-invisible button on the back wall, and a hidden slab slid up revealing the exit. Hugo hoisted the short Archimedes up onto his back with little effort. Sally and her lupine friend lead the pack out of Lupine Hollow and around the rocky path to the front entrance. The gang stood and waited for the owl's next order.

Archimedes pointed toward the empty landscape of Drood Henge. "Straight ahead. My sin lies deep within that desolate land."

The Wolf Pack marched forward under his direction.

The Drood Henge wastelands have remained barren for several hundred years. Not a plant or beast resided here. The dry, cracked dirt underneath their feet was simply incapable of supporting life. During the day the sun was unrelenting. The heat waves rippled the distant air. During the night, an unbearable chill that struck straight to the bone.

"Head that way." Archimedes instructed, benefiting from Hugo's piggy-back ride.

"Alright, pops."

The pack headed south-west. Not a cloud in the sky. Tumbleweeds rolled on by. Few of the members were taking swigs from their canteens. Their fur wasn't helping in the heat. They had trekked for nearly four miles.

"This way."

Sally and the wolves traveled further south. The Princess offered Archimedes some water, in which he politely refused. Another three miles were walked before he barked out another order. 

"Over there."

Southeast was the direction this time, and the clique followed suit. More water was consumed. The harsh region was starting to have an effect on them. Fatigue was beginning to set in when Archimedes made a sudden command.

"Stop." 

Hugo halted first, then everyone a second afterwards.

"Put me down please. cough!"

The owl was gently placed down on the parched ground. He leaned on his walking cane as he dusted himself off. He attracted all curious eyes.

"Are we here, Archimedes? The 'Birthplace of your Sin?'" Lupe asked. 

"Yes…and no. Right location. Wrong altitude."

"Come again?"

"You will see. Now Sally…Lupe…the rest of you. I highly advise that you all stand back. At least a hundred feet will suffice."

The crew looked at each other with weird looks on their faces, then at Archimedes.

"A hundred feet?" Sally asked. "Seriously?"

"Cough! Seriously. Move back everyone. I don't need for you all to risk injury."

"Let's move." Lupe ordered.

They all hustled some distance away from him. A long stretch of dried land separated the feathered from the furred. Archimedes limped toward his desired spot, looked around a bit, and pressed the tip of his walking stick into the ground. It stuck in position.

Archimedes put his wings together in prayer. He closed his eyes and muttered something to himself. 

"Accesion Entrova. Reveal thy true nature and allow access through the gate."

The pack looked on from a distance. Looking up toward the sky, they could've sworn it was getting darker..

A blue glow emanated from the implanted walking cane. With a loud flash, a huge intricate circle of glowing symbols, about fifty feet in diameter, appeared on the ground with that very cane in the center. The onlookers were surprised at what just transpired.

"What in the world…" Sally blurted.

"What sort of deviltry is this…" Lupe added.

Archimedes' eyes stayed closed and remained still. Bright light filled in the circle that the owl stood on, and with another brilliant flash, disappeared. The sky brightened. The cane lost its glow.

The dehydrated ground began to rumble, and Archimedes picked up his cane and quickly scuttled out of the way. The ground split and slid apart like an automatic door, and the dirt poured into the growing hole below. The void became increasingly larger. Soon enough, the shaking stopped. A huge, seemingly bottomless hole had formed.

"It is safe to come now." Archimedes told them without turning around.

The wolves soon joined up with the bird, and naturally they gathered around and assaulted him with a barrage of questions.

"What…what did…did…you just…DO?" Lupe asked.

"Holy…Are you some kind of magician?" another wolf quiered.

Hugo chuckled. "Whoo. Old man's got some tricks up his sleeves." 

"You can say that again…"

Sally also wanted to know. "Where in the world did you learn that?"

"Now now, my friends." Archimedes told them. "Be patient. I know you have many questions, but they will be answered in due time."

He walked to the edge and looked down into the massive hole. For the next couple minutes he didn't talk, didn't move, didn't do anything.

"Did he fall asleep?"

"Archimedes?" 

"Patience."

The sound of clamping metal was faint at first, but soon echoed louder and louder. It caught the attention of the pack, who stood at the edge and looked down with him.

Small steel platforms, one after another, jutted out from the dirt wall and flipped into position. From deep within the darkness to all the way up to the surface, a staircase was formed. Access to what lurked inside the mysterious hole was granted. The posse gazed into the foreboding blackness.

"The pathway to my sin is down this spiraling staircase…deep underground."

Sally continued peering into the unknown. "So we're going down that huge hole. Exactly how far down is it?"

"I would say cough! cough! about a half-mile to the bottom, then I would guess another half-mile or so through the dark ruins. It's quite a trip. Now…remember to stay close to me. This place will be full of God-forsaken traps, and only I know how to get around them."

Sally nodded. "Okay." 

"You heard the bird." Lupe said. "Stay close to him and listen. Watch yourselves from here on in."

"Gotcha." 

"Alright."

"Yes ma'am."

Archimedes began the descending of the staircase, with his new companions following closely behind him. Into the ominous abyss they went… 

_Stage K: The Dark Sanctuary_ (Player: **Sally**)   
Mission: Locate Archimedes' sin.  
This lengthy, depressing stage will not only test your stealth, but your ability to follow orders quickly. Archimedes will be right behind you, riding on Hugo's back. The rest of the Wolf Pack will be behind him. Expect to spend the first 4-5 minutes of the level going down the staircase to the bottom, but this doesn't mean it'll be an uneventful trip. This portion is rigged with several deadly traps that only the owl knows about. Listen to Archimedes; he'll save your life. When he says "Run.", run to avoid the oncoming rush of spikes poking out from the wall. They are heading your way. When he says "You are safe now.", travel at your own pace. There is no danger of harm to you. When he says "Stop.", stay absolutely still. A seemingly sweet, innocent little dove will appear from below. It will flutter about your position. Its head will move back and forth, scanning for any movement. If you're still, you're fine. It'll go back down below after a few seconds of searching. But if you're caught moving, it'll freak out and squeal. The dove will enlarge and its feathers will fall off, revealing a freakish metallic exoskeleton. Its eyes will glow red. The dove will assail you with non-stop homing optic beams until you die. It will get darker as you go down, so dark that Archimedes will supply light from his cane. Every few hundred feet or so, you'll reach a platform with four switches on the wall (numbered 1-4), with a laser barrier blocking further progress. There's a certain procedure that has to be done with the switches in order to advance. Archimedes knows how. Listen. He'll tell you orders such as this, "Go to Switch #1 and push the A button 18 times, then go to Switch #3 and push the Y button 15 times, then go to Switch #2 and push the B button 21 times." He'll repeat it if you forget, but you have to count the button presses yourself. He won't do it for you. Get it right and the barrier will disappear, allowing you to go on. Get it wrong and a hidden turret gun will appear and shoot you, causing damage. The commands will get more difficult as you delve deeper.

When you finally reach the bottom, you will be inside some sort of forgotten ruin. Welcome. Cobble stone floors and walls, hanging torches lit with blue flames, violet mist lingering through the air, vials, beakers, books, dust, cobwebs, tables, among other things reside in here. Make a habit of looking up from time to time, as guillotines will fall upon slowpokes. Huge black-armored knights armed with broadswords will patrol the halls. Become covert. Hide in dark corners, under tables, behind pillars, etc. They'll come at you with wide swings so keep your distance and stay out of sight. Those lovely little doves are in here too, appearing occasionally to scan for movement. You know what NOT to do. Fortunately, your team isn't completely defenseless. You have some help from the Wolf Pack. Push up on the C stick to have them perform The Great Hunt. The wolves will home in and rip the nearest enemy to shreds. This consumes 20 percent of the Burst Meter. Push down on the C stick for the Call of the Pack. Your lupine pals will band together and howl in unison, scaring away any nearby foes. This consumes 30 percent of the Burst Meter. You can throw the vials and potions you find to distract/eliminate your enemies. At certain points in the stage you will enter a small room. You'll be locked in. Here, the floor is entirely made of square tiles. It's time to listen to the owl yet again. Walk along the tiles as you follow Archimedes' orders. For example: "Take 3 squares north, take 5 squares east, take 1 square north, take 8 squares west." Make one mistake and the floor will electrocute you. You'll have to try again. If done right, the doors will open. This can be a long journey, but hang in there. Stage is completed when you reach the sealed gateway.

Archimedes, with the crew behind him, stood among the huge steel door. It was an aqua blue color, adorned with foreign words and symbols too small to read. An air of gloom resonated through the team, who were only mere steps away from whatever force lied beyond.

"This is it my friends. Beyond this sealed door… is the containment chamber of my sin."

"Is it really that bad? So bad that you call it a 'sin'?" Lupe asked.

"It's the only way I could describe it. But I must cough! warn you first and foremost, what you are about to see behind this door will horrify you. It is not for the weak of heart." 

"After all that we've been through, nothing is going to surprise me at this point." Sally commented.

"Fair enough." Archimedes said, raising his cane to the door. The writing on the door and the walking tool glowed together in the same blue color. "Accesion Entrova. Reveal thy true nature and allow access through the gate."

There was a split-second flash of light and a loud click echoed through the halls. Each half of the heavy door slid to the side. They stepped into the room, which was too dark to see anything.

"How about some lights, Archie?" Hugo suggested.

"Patience. Illuminate."

The ceiling beams lit up, revealing the sterile, dismal room all around them. It was now clear why this ruin was highly guarded, buried thousands of feet underground, and sealed by Archimedes.

"Oh my God…" Sally spoke softly, covering her mouth.

Lupe and the pack shared similar sentiments as well, in shock and awe of the sight before them.

The owl took a deep breath and leaned on his walking cane, feeling shame just plain eating him from the inside. "Mmmm…"

Several huge glass capsules, nearly seven feet in height, lined the entirety of both sides of the room. Each one was filled to the brim with green liquid, with a button-laden console situated into its base.

"Are those…real bodies inside?" Sally asked.

"…Yes."

Bare bodies…human and mobian…men and women…floated in the fluid. Every single capsule housed an actual body. All of them were contorted and twisted in unimaginable ways, with countless wires and needles piercing into their fur and flesh from every direction. Their faces, contorted beyond recognition.

Sally cautiously walked up to one of the capsules and simply stared. A hint of fear was in her eyes. "What…what in the world…is going on here? Archimedes? What is this…what is all this? Is this your sin?"

Archimedes staggered towards the master console in the back of the room. "I'm… sorry that you all had to see this. I truly am…but no, these aren't it. These twisted bodies that you see before you…are nothing more than the building blocks of my…how you say… 'Dirty little secret'.

The bird flipped a huge switch just below the keyboard, and a large round hatch in the ceiling opened up. From that hatch…sitting on the lowering platform was the reason they have traveled so far down here.

Archimedes turned away and refused to look at it. "Here it is…the bane of my existence. This is my sin."

The Wolf Pack didn't know what to make of it, and simply gawked.

Sally's eyes were as big as saucers, and her jaw dropped to the floor. "…WHAT?! NO! But how?! You mean these bodies…all these…sickly bodies…are used to build…THIS?! No way. Simply no way. You are lying. You HAVE to be lying." 

Archimedes hobbled back and stood in front of his creation. "I guess…I owe you all an explanation. Eh?"

Nine hours earlier…

"HERE IT COMES! EVERYONE HOLD ON!" Tails shouted.

The Space Fox was out of power, helplessly drifting along the vast ocean. They could see land, but it was at least a quarter-mile away. The kitsune pilot, Knuckles and the Chaotix, Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine held on to whatever as best they can, bracing themselves for the impact from the incoming Water Etheral, the gigantic Aquios. Seeing as water was its speciality, the mobian crew was at a distinct disadvantage. This was his playground.

Sonic stood on the roof on one knee, his energy nearly drained. The aquatic beast swam full speed ahead, and collided head-on with the side of the Space Fox.

CRASH!

The ship was pushed back hundreds of feet, skidding along the surface of the water. The vessel had left a considerable depression where it struck. Thank goodness that the emergency floatation system kept the Space Fox above the endless blue.

"OOF!" Knuckles shouted as he was thrown to the floor.

"GAH!" Mighty, Rotor, and Vector were tossed around like rag dolls.

Espio leaned down into a balanced position and held on to his chair.

"Sacre Bleu!" Antoine bounced around the ship, similar to a pinball.

Bunnie leaned against the side, holding a hyper Charmy close to her.

Sonic was almost thrown off the ship completely. Fortunately, he had a powerful grip on the edge. He took a little breather before hoisting himself up onto the roof again. He stood up with fists clenched and watched intently for Aquios, but he appeared to have vanished.

"I know you're here Aquios. Stop hiding." Sonic scowled.

For such a mammoth beast, Aquios was as quiet as a mouse as it slinked around underneath the ocean's surface…stalking…waiting… 

"Damn that hurt…" Knuckles winced as he nursed a nasty bruise on his forehead. "TAILS! What the hell are we gonna do? We're just worms on hooks at this rate."

The fox rummaged through his emergency toolbox installed in the dashboard. "If we're lucky, I might be able to get the weapons systems back online. I'll need time though."

"What if Loch Ness decides to attack us again?" Bunnie asked. "We dunno how much this boat can take." 

"Someone will just have to distract it until I get the artillery up and running again."

Vector looked out the window. "Distract it? How? Dress up as a female sea serpent and woo it with my charms?"

Tails had several tools lined up in front of him. "That'll be Plan B, now, is any one of you a good swimmer?"

"…What." Everyone else said together. 

"Don't look at me like that. I'm serious."

Knuckles just gave him a funny look. "Oookay…I consider myself a decent swimmer. What, you have a plan?"

"Yeah I do as a matter of fact. Here it is. Knuckles, you will swim out some distance away. Not too far, but enough to divert its attention away from the ship. Keep him busy, and it should give me enough time to get the ion cannons working again. I'll let you know when it's ready, and then you will swim over in range of the cannons and I'll let him have it."

Again, Knuckles just stared at him. "Okay…now let me get this straight…you want me to swim out there and risk that huge-ass sea snake eating me…and then go over in front of your guns and risk getting shot at?"

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. If you got a better plan, please feel free to share it."

Knock knock

A slight thumping from above quickly silenced the passengers. None of them moved as they listened for it again.

Knock knock

"Someone's on zee roof?"

Bunnie pulled the ladder down from the ceiling and climbed up. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me guys!"

Tails recognized the voice. "…Sonic?"

She turned the valve clockwise and the hatch opened. There was the hedgehog, who waved down before he leapt into the interior. 

"Sonic!"

"Hey Tails! Hey guys! Nice to see you're all okay! I was scared!"

The fox rushed out of his seat and gave Sonic a friendly hug, but immediately yelped and backed away.

"Owowow! You're hot!"

No one had noticed it first, but steam was actually coming off the hedgehog. His body temperature would have to be pushing triple-digits, easily. 

"Oh…sorry about that, little buddy. Guess I overexerted myself…"

"Overexerted yourself?" Espio questioned. 

"Yeah…I defeated Niatro and Void. Not to mention that your ship was falling towards land, so I focused and poured my energy into pushing your ship into the water."

"I was wondering why the ship seemed to be changing directions during the fall. Thanks Sonic…you saved us all." Tails said.

"Heh. Shucks…it's nothing."

But the blue hedgehog wasn't quite himself. Sonic felt light-headed and dizzy, and he put his hand on the wall to keep himself from falling. He put his other hand on his head, feeling another black-out coming on. He leaned back against the wall and gradually slid all the way down to the floor, eyes partially open. 

Everyone noticed him now, and not in good way.

Rotor kneeled down and looked at his face. "Whoa there…are you okay Sonic? You look like you really did work yourself too hard." 

"Y…yeah…heh…I guess I did."

"Just rest now. Leave everything to us."

"I can't. There's Aquios…uhhh…" Sonic said, before feeling another bout of light-headedness.

Rotor went to the back and fetched a small bottle of water, then bent down and put it between the hedgehog's lips. "Here…drink this. Don't worry. We'll take care of it…somehow."

CRASH!

Out of nowhere, the water Etheral struck the ship again, knocking everyone onboard around for a loop. Vector fell and hit his head on the floor. The impact had knocked him out. Bunnie's cranium crashed into the wall, putting her out for the count as well. Sonic slid along and hit a chair leg back-first; his consciousness was fading in and out.

"Bunnie!" Antoine screamed.

"Vector!" Mighty shouted.

The Space Fox now had a second depression, with a sizable hole now in the starboard side. There was a pleasant view of the ocean, though they hardly had the time to enjoy it.

After a few moments, Tails sat up in the Captain's chair and regained his bearings. He turned around and saw the echidna right beside him. He had a firm grasp on the arm-rest.

"Knuckles, are you still going with the plan? Whatever we need to do, we need to do it now."

"…Okay okay." He growled. "I'll do it. We can't take too much more of this."

"Thank you. I am in your debt. As I said, you will swim out a ways and distract Aquios away from here. I'll be busy trying to get the ion cannons up and running. If I rerout some of the energy from the emergency floatation system to the secondary engines, it should work. Anyways, you know the rest."

"Alright. I sure as hell hope you know what you're doing. Don't shoot me by mistake."

"I won't. Trust me."

Once the frantic activity calmed down, Knuckles climbed up the ladder. "Mighty…Espio…Charmy…take care of Vector."

"We will."

Rotor and Antoine were occupied with providing care for the downed Bunnie. Sonic managed to get back on two feet, back against the corner. His face read it all.

The red guardian leapt onto the roof and did a visual sweep of the ocean. He looked to the left and saw Aquios. His head towered forty feet above the water. Knuckles thought of Angel Island for a second and silently prayed, then dove into the sea.

He rose to the surface and whistled to get the Etheral's attention, which he got. The serpent began to give chase. Knuckles began to swim like there was no tomorrow. 

Tails was down in the Space Fox's complex engine room. Extensive damage was done to both primary and secondary engines, but the emergency systems ran just fine. This type of machinery was familiar to him. With tools in hand, he began getting to work. 

_Boss: Aquios - The Water Serpent Etheral_ (Player: **Tails** & **Knuckles**)   
This is quite possibly the longest boss fight yet. Get ready. Tails and Knuckles team up once more to take on an Etheral, Aquios the Water Serpent. You'll notice that underneath Aquios' life bar is the Space Fox's life bar. The ship has to remain intact at all costs. If it is destroyed, you forfeit a life. If you want to stand a chance against this beast, you'll need to get those ion cannons operational as quickly as you can. Control will alternate between Tails and Knuckles. Tails will go first. The fox will begin repairing the engines. A set of button commands will appear onscreen. For example: (A, B, B, R, left, Y) or (hold A and rotate analog stick clockwise). Tails' repairing process will be divided into three parts: Restoring the weapons systems, restoring the secondary engine, and routing the energy from the floatation system to the secondary engine. Each part will require nine correct button sequences before it is fixed. In other words, you will need to get 27 button sets right in order for the ion cannons to be functioning. You will only have 20 seconds before control switches over to Knuckles, so get them done as fast as you can. The longer you take, the more danger that the echidna will be in.

As Knuckles, your job is to play the lure. Swim for your life and keep Aquios away from the ship. If you get too close to the Space Fox, Aquios will focus its attention on it instead. The serpent will continuously ram into the vessel, damaging it bit by bit until it is obilerated. To stop him, get up on its back and run/climb up onto his head. Now start pummeling Aquios' face with punches until he roars with anger. His attention is now focused back on you. Note that your punches will do no damage. Use the analog stick to swim along the surface. Repeatedly pushing the B button will give you some extra speed. When Aquios dives below the surface, stay alert. He is deceptively silent underwater. Just stay still and don't panic. You'll get a 2-3 second warning of which direction he will strike from. Look for a slight hump of the surface. When the serpent rises to swallow you whole, quickly swim away from his jaws, not toward them. Being an Etheral's meal is an interesting way to lose a life, but not recommended. Another instant-death attack to watch out for is when Aquios begins to swim around you in a huge circle, faster and faster. Swiftly move and jump out of the serpent circle or get swept down below in a giant whirlpool, never to be seen again. As long as Tails hasn't completed getting the cannons operational, Knuckles' portion will last 30 seconds before switching back to the fox.

Still haven't fixed the engines? Well get to it then! When Tails regains control again, you pick up right where you left off. You get another 20 seconds to complete the commands. Once you are successful in finishing the 27 button sets and getting the weapons working, Tails will snag a flare gun and point it up through the hatch. Control will switch to Knuckles.

The echidna will see the flares shoot up into the sky, signaling that the repair procedure has been finished. The Space Fox still can't move, so lure Aquios to the front of the ship where the ion cannons are ready and waiting. Once you get into range, Tails will take over.

You're in the cockpit now. Weapons are ready to go. Look out the window and you'll see Knuckles swimming around, with Aquios not too far behind. Now you have the chance to finally damage the big serpent. Use the analog stick to move the target reticule, and the A button to fire. Shoot at Aquios as it chases Knuckles around, just be careful not to shoot the echidna. He'll get knocked out and it'll be easy pickins for the etheral. You'll also lose a life. When you whittle Aquios' life bar down to 3/4, he'll ignore Knuckles and turn his rage upon you instead. The serpent will dive underneath the water. Get your reflexes sharp. He'll leap toward your windshield at one of five locations: The four corners and the center. Quickly move the reticule to the proper location and fire at his head to stop the rush. If you don't, he'll collide with your ship and cause damage. He'll dive back underneath the water and the process will repeat. When the etheral's life bar gets down to half, he'll wise up and move out of your firing range. Knuckles, it's your turn.

The serpent will move underwater again, and resurface at any random location in the battlefield. He will rise up and open its mouth; a hot-blue glow will appear. Aquios is preparing his most powerful weapon, the water beam. It'll take approximately 10 seconds to charge up. This will inflict 50 percent damage to your ship if he fires, so swim like hell and climb up his back. Get up on his face and batter him with blows until he stops charging. He'll swim somewhere else and try again. Stop Aquios' water beam three times and he will start chasing you again instead. Lure him back to the ion cannons. Tails will take control once more.

You know the drill. Shoot at Aquios, don't shoot at Knuckles. You've done well. Give yourself a pat on the back if you've made it this far. When you've managed to knock Aquios' life bar down to 1/4, strap in for a nerve-racking dash to the finish. Aquios turns toward you and he will begin to pop in and out of the water at different locations, similar to the whack-a-mole game. The etheral will pop off a blazingly-quick energy shot everytime he resurfaces, which will inflict 25 damage to the Space Fox. Aim like never before and fire at him to stop the shots from happening. You'll only get a couple of seconds before each shot, so respond fast. This mighty Etheral is defeated when his HP is down to 0.

The bloodied, thrashed-up Aquios belted out a weakened roar. It slumped toward the Space Fox and opened its maw to prepare another water beam, but was too beat up to follow through. The sea snake gave another low roar before it gave up the ghost and sank underneath the surface, this time for good.

A small, blue aura of energy jetted out of the water and into the Space Fox. It drove right into Sonic's chest, making the hedgehog slouch back down to the floor in brief pain.

_"Mach…I have faith in you…"_

Tails drummed on the edge of the control panel in excitement. "I don't know how we did it, but we did it. That's five down, two to go."

"Where's Knuckles? Is he okay?" Espio asked.

As if on cue, the echidna appeared from the hatch and climbed down the ladder. Needless to say, he was drenched with a pissed-off look on his face.

"Ooh la la Knuck'els! I like the zee drowned rat look! Very flattering!"

"Shut it coyote boy, or you'll make the tooth fairy very poor tonight." 

"Eep!"

The fox turned around. "You okay Knuckles?"

"I'm fine, Tails. I'm fine." he replied, and then faced the Chaotix. "How's Vector? Has he come to?" 

"He's still out cold, I'm afraid." Mighty said. 

Rotor stood up. "I've checked on both of them. Bunnie is awake, at least. I'm assuming her concussion wasn't nearly as severe as Vector's."

Antoine smiled at Bunnie as he stroked her forehead, and she smiled back.

"GRRRAGGH!" 

Sonic yelled out loud as he pulled himself up to his feet, feeling a seething surge of pain flow through his veins. Everyone on the ship stopped and turned toward the blue hedgehog.

"…Sonic?" Tails questioned, a little scared.

He took deep breaths, and placed a hand on the wall for support as he walked toward the captain's quarters. Sonic seemed a bit taller…and his tail lengthened a few inches…not to mention those fangs began to appear again.

Everything seemed to run in slow motion when Sonic walked. Knuckles and his clique, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor...just stared at him…not sure of what he was going to do. As he looked at each of his friends, one by one, the hedgehog's eyes briefly pulsed with a burning orange.

"…Sonic?" his two-friend asked again. 

"(Knux, did you just see his eyes just now?)" Mighty whispered.

"(Yeah…I think I did…they turned a different color…)"

"(I told you…I told you. You see zat? You see his teeth? Soneek eez a demon.)"

"(…You…you might be right, sugah-Twan.)"

Sonic entered the captain's quarters and simply fell down into the passenger's seat. He didn't know what he felt like right now. It was like two great forces inside his body were battling to the death. He was tired yet energetic, sick yet vigorous, joyful yet miserable. He grunted as another rush of pain washed over him. He hunched over and wrapped both of his arms around his stomach.

"Urrrrgggg…"

"…Are you sick?"

"I dunno…Tails. I dunno…ugggg…my chest…ahhhhhh…what's wrong with me…"

"You haven't been yourself ever since we met the Etherals."

"I know….and it's funny…everytime an Etheral is defeated…there's some kind of light. It…goes…ahh…straight to me…into my…body. I…think it's like…their life force…or something…."

"Why did those lights go to you?"

"…I don't know."

"I saw two of those lights go right into you after Knuckles, Mighty, and I defeated Hein and Emelia."

"It hurts…it really hurts…"

"My guess is that you have so much chaotic power running through you, and your body doesn't quite know how to handle it." Rotor suggested.

"That doesn't make sense though." Tails retorted. "Sonic uses the chaos emeralds to transform into Super Sonic all the time and he never felt ill, and Super Sonic definitely has a tremendous amount of energy running through him."

"True, but as much energy as Sonic receives from the emeralds to change into his super form, it is only partial. He doesn't receive the full power."

"How do you know?" 

"I'm sure you remember the Station Square incident with Perfect Chaos?"

"Yeah…just about everyone knows that story."

"Remember when Sonic only used the positive energies of the Chaos Emeralds to become Super Sonic and defeat Perfect Chaos?"

"Of course."

"We all know the Etherals are the embodiment of the Chaos Emeralds itself. Positive and negative energy rolled into one magnificent full-on force. This hedgehog has five of them residing within him. This isn't the usual way of receiving power from an outside source to become Super Sonic. The very essence of the emeralds…the quintessence of chaos energy…are manifesting from the inside of Sonic's body out." 

"So...in other words…instead of taking a cough drop to cure a sore throat, he swallowed a whole bottle of medicine instead." Knuckles said.

"Something like that. That's an interesting analogy. It's probably why he was burning hot not too long ago; his body is trying to adjust to the sudden energy changes." 

Tails looked over and softly patted his back. "Geez…no wonder Sonic's being like this…poor guy."

"They…spoke to me."

"Who spoke to you, Sonic?"

"Those…Etherals. They spoke to me after they died and their energies went into me..." 

"What did they say?"

"They said to destroy Cristine Sisytus and…they were…counting on me..."

Rotor scratched his nose. "That's probably why those lights went to you, Sonic. Upon the Etherals' death, Cristine's spell over them must've broken and they came to their senses. I think they are depending on you to save our world. They are providing you with their power. That's just a big guess though."

The sound of aircraft drawing near stopped the discussion, and all except Sonic, Vector, and Bunnie moved to the windows. Apparently out of nowhere, four helicopters hovered right above the Space Fox at various points: the center, the nose, and both wings.

Espio looked up at the choppers. "…Did someone call for help?"

"Not that I know of." The fox answered.

Without a single word from the pilots, thick wires of unknown material shot directly from the helicopters' weapon bays to the points they hovered above. Hooks opened automatically from the end of those wires and latched themselves onto the Space Fox.

Less than sixty seconds later, and still no word, the 'copters gradually gained altitude. Slow and steady, they lifted the massive state-of-the-art ship from the great ocean, courtesy of the hook-wires. The Space Fox slightly rocked, causing the mobians to keep their balance.

"Holy smokes!" Mighty exclaimed. "We're up in the air!"

Sonic, with hands down his sides, kept absolutely still and said nothing. His eyes focused on nothing in particular.

Tails rushed to another window. "Who are these people…and better yet…where are they taking us?"

"Where ever we're going, it can't be any worse than being stranded in the ocean." Knuckles said. 

Minutes passed as they looked down. The helicopters took them from the glistening ocean, over the land's shore, then over some unfamiliar jungle. The sea of green stretched on for miles.

"I don't think I've ever seen this place before…" Charmy said alongside Espio.

"Me neither…but I cannot help but feel that something…bad is going to happen…"

Sonic still remained motionless. Bunnie had just enough strength to stand up. Vector still laid out cold.

Tails pointed outside. "Check it out guys. We're slowing down. I think we're about to land." 

The helicopters reduced their speed to a stop, and hovered above a patch of civilization. There were no trees or grass in the small circular piece of land. Several mobians, jaguars to be exact, dressed in soldier uniforms and red berets gathered outside in a line.

The chopper pilots were careful in taking care of their newfound cargo. The four made sure that they kept the same altitude in lowering the Space Fox. The trees rocked violently from the wind of the propeller blades.

With a thud that shook up the travelers, the ship had landed in unknown territory.

"I hope the natives are friendly." Mighty stated, looking at the jaguars beginning to surround the ship.

Tails pushed a button and the entry door opened, forming itself into a walkway to the outside world.

Knuckles was the first one in line. "Only one way to find out. Let's meet these cats."

Everyone except for Sonic and Tails had now evacuated the ship. Mighty had carried the cataleptic Vector in his arms.

The fox went to the captain's quarters and tapped on his blue friend's shoulder, who still sat like a statue. "C'mon Sonic. It's time to go." 

"…"

"Are you all right?"

"…" 

"Everyone else has gone."

"…"

"Sonic?" 

"Piss off you prick."

Tails simply froze, and he just stared at him for a few seconds. He wasn't too sure what Sonic just said. He decided to ask.

"…What did you say?" 

"Hmm? Oh? I didn't say anything."

"…Okaaaay. The crew has gone outside. We're going now."

"Sure thing."

Sonic showed no sign of pain and walked just fine as he went toward the exit. A somewhat confused Tails kept staring at him until he left from sight, and then followed him.

Maybe it was best if they had stayed inside. As soon as Sonic stepped to the bottom of the ramp, at least thirty Winchester rifles cocked and pointed at the hedgehog from nearly every direction. These heavily-armed and highly-trained jaguars had their keen eyes right on him. His friends weren't going anywhere either. Twenty more armed soldiers stood by closely as Knuckles, Mighty, Charmy…who had his wings clipped…again, Bunnie, Espio, Antoine, and Rotor were on their knees, their hands and feet were already handcuffed. 

"FREEZE!"

"DON'T MOVE OR WE'LL SHOOT!" 

"HANDS IN THE AIR, HEDGEHOG!"

Sonic raised his hands in the air, understanding that even his speed wouldn't be enough to get them out this mess. "Wow…what a warm welcome." 

Tails had several guns aimed at him as soon as he crossed the door. Hesitantly, he put his hands up as well. "So much for the friendly natives…"

Nearby, one of the soldiers was in a small lookout tower, reporting to his superior on the telephone. "Master Watkins."

_"Yes?"_

"We have obtained the ship just as you ordered."

_"Good boy. Was there anyone on board?"_

"Yes…just as you predicted. There's a pretty diverse group of mobians here. We have a hedgehog, fox, echidna, armadillo, rabbit, bee, coyote, crocodile, walrus, chameleon… I believe one of them is Sonic the Hedgehog. Right now we have them at gunpoint."

_"Sonic the Hedgehog?! Well well! This has certainly gotten more interesting."_

"What do we do with them?"

_"Lock them up for the time being. Let them stew in there for a while. I want to have a little talk with our visitors as soon I finish this discussion with my client here."_

"Yes sir. And the ship?"

_"Transport it to the underground hangar. Make any necessary repairs on it."_

"Yes Master Watkins."

The handcuffed crew was organized single file. A chained-up Vector was carried by a soldier. With jaguars on all sides, they were led deep into a jungle far south of the Space Fox. It was hot and humid, but it didn't bother the felines at all.

A ten minute trek led to another bald spot in the forest. The sun beamed down on their new temporary home. 16 by 16 foot prison blocks made of crude, solid marble spread out through the land. There were nine of them positioned in a 3X3 formation.

"OPEN CELL BLOCK G!"

Jaguars still had their itchy trigger fingers poised when Sonic and the gang stepped into their cramped cell. They had no choice but to get used to the musty and dank room. They had gathered around the back wall as the fortified door slid and closed, locking them in.

Meanwhile…in the half-completed New Aliveria…

Cristine Sisytus stood proudly in front of the Royal Capital. With a wicked sneer, she looked down at her new subordinates. They were the reserves of King Acorn's Royal Army, Station Square's G.U.N. troops, and Down Unda's brigade…who had the unfortunate priviledge of meeting the woman firsthand.

At least hundred of these soldiers stood before her in a seamless formation. Swords and guns held tight in their paws and hands. Their eyes…no longer had that spark of life. They were dull and gray. These humans, squirrels, dingoes, platypus, and kangaroos were now under her control.

"Heh…so these Earth humans and mobians have a use for me after all…how ironic…"

As she observed her manipulated army, a certain Etheral decided to make an appearance. Demi materialized out of thin air and stood at her left side.

She looked down at him, not amused. "Demi? What are YOU doing here? You are supposed to be eliminating Mach and his friends along with the other Etherals."

"Forgive me being here, Master Sisytus, but I am here to report that Mach's group has already destroyed five Etherals."

"…Tch."

"It is true. Niatro, Hein, Emelia, Void, and Aquios have all fallen at their hands. Only Shiro and I remain."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE STILL SQUABBLING?! Shiro is the most powerful Etheral of all. You can manipulate gravity. Between the two of you, you can wipe them out no problem!"

"As powerful as we may be, we still cannot take any chances. Mach is the weakest Etheral out of all of us and yet…he has defeated two on his own."

"I want results not lectures. Hmph…Mach's little club are becoming a real thorn in my side. No matter…the second and final phase of the New Aliveria resurrection is coming under way. But...the spell I will cast requires time and absolute concentration. I cannot have any distractions."

Cristine pointed to her new army.

"This is where YOU come in. You will be MY Elite Royal Guard. You will surround the Royal Capital and protect me while I speak the incantation."

"Yes. Protect Master Sisytus… Protect Master Sisytus…" they droned in unity. Their allegiance to her was no question.

"Which incantation?" Demi asked.

"You will see… and you still have a task to do. I want the heads of Mach and his band laid out in front of me the next time you or Shiro come back. Otherwise…let's just say 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.' Do you…comprehend what I am saying to you?"

"Yes Master…"

With a single respectful bow, Demi excused himself and teleported elsewhere.

"(Did I not properly subject Demi under my mind control magic?)" Cristine thought. (Oh well…it doesn't matter. It won't change a thing.)"

The woman faced her soldiers.

"Elite Royal Guard!" she shouted. "Patrol the grounds!"

The puppets did as the marionette commanded. They had spread out and set up posts around all sides. There was no chance that anyone would slip into the Royal Capital without being spotted, but that didn't matter to a certain ultimate lifeform waiting nearby. He was determined to end it right here, right now.

Shadow stood on an overlooking cliff, arms crossed as he watched the recent events unfold. Cristine turned around and took the first step toward the front door.

"(Good…he's gone…she has her back turned…now's the perfect chance.)" 

The hedgehog rushed down the cliff and through the field at blinding speed. His fists were clenched, his eyes were focused on Cristine, and he was ready.

"(Never mind the guards, I'll dash right past them and kill that woman before they even blink.)" he thought.

His view of the blonde-haired target became larger and larger. Shadow blazed through the city and zipped right past them. He ran up the grand stairs and made a great leap. Now he was practically breathing down her neck. The hedgehog raised his right fist up ready for the strike.

Shadow threw the punch… 

Only to be blocked by that ever-present force field. The impact sent him flying back down the stairs, but he landed on his feet. The surrounding Elite Royal Guard quickly aimed their weapons at the dark hedgehog.

A pleasantly surprised Cristine Sisytus turned around and looked down at Gerald's project. "What…You sneaky little dog! You tried to strike me while my back was turned! WHO ARE YOU?!"

"Shadow the Hedgehog. Remember it." 

"Shadow the Hedgehog…ahh! I remember now! I saw you with your mobian friends back in Neo Ark. Why aren't you with them now?" 

"I prefer to work alone. I intend to end this here and now."

"Hmm. I admire your bravado, foolish bravado, but bravado nonetheless. You'll die just like the rest. Elite Royal Guard! Kill them!"

The ex-G.U.N. and Down Unda soldiers fired upon Shadow with their machine guns, but the hedgehog ran up the stairs and tried to deliver another blow to Cristine. The force field sent him back down yet again. He ran to the outer edge of the capital and paused for a few seconds.

"(That damn barrier…as long as it's still up…I won't be able to defeat her.)"

The soldiers opened fire and Shadow dashed back and forth, dodging their gunshots with ease. Passing by Acorn fighters, he ducked underneath a sword swing and performed a forward flip to dodge a low sweep. Cristine stood there as if she was waiting for him.

"(Here I come.)"

Shadow focused and tightened his body up. He leapt up the stairs again and directed immense chaos power into his fists. A red, malefic glow surrounded them. The hedgehog threw a left-right combination to the sorceress…but he still couldn't touch her. Although the barrier blocked them, the blows had made the woman lose balance. She had stumbled a couple steps back.

"(I could've sworn the barrier had been weaker that time. My fists didn't feel as much resistance. If I keep striking, it should break…)"

Cristine's hands illuminated in a dark-violet aura and chanted a spell. 

"Paradain Neigatra Verati!"

Several tiny purple orbs flew out of her hands and sped toward her target.

Shadow didn't see them coming until the last couple of seconds. He leapt back, weaving right and left to dodge the miniscule blasts. The blasts were no bigger than dimes.

"What the heck are these things?"

"Heh heh heh! Dodge them while you can Shadow! One tiny touch from a single orb, and its negative energy will enter your muscle tissue, shutting down your ability to move your body. In other words, paralyzation!"

"(Great.)"

Shadow had his work cut out for him. Not only did he have to dodge the orbs, he also had to elude the swords and bullets from Cristine's Elite Royal Guard. The ultimate lifeform will have to fight for his life…nothing new to him though.

Shadow ducked, leapt, and sidestepped three oncoming orbs. He turned around and stopped a squirrel's blade in mid-swing with his right hand, and punched him in the face with the left.

"(Sorry fellas.)"

The hedgehog executed a slide kick to avoid a hail of bullets. He tripped up the machine gunner and then rolled to avoid another orb. Two more swordsmen came down on him with their weapons, but Shadow leapt up from the ground. With great agility, he spin-kicked them both across their heads.

He could sense more orbs on his tail, and he began to hasten the pace. He ran toward a nearby building. It appeared that he was going to collide into it…but made a sharp left turn at the last second. The orbs exploded into the wall. He crouched underneath more gunfire, sweep-kicked an Acorn member, shoulder-tackled the kangaroo, and merely titled his head to escape another orb.

"(I can't keep playing around like this…I need to concentrate on breaking that barrier.)"

Cristine still stood in that same spot amazed at what she was watching. "This Shadow…what is he exactly. He looks like a hedgehog on the outside…but I'm willing to bet he's a whole different beast on the inside…"

"(There! A clear shot. I need to focus all my power into my attacks this time.)"

The dark hedgehog's eyes burned with purpose…with resolve.

Again he sprinted toward the woman standing before the Royal Capital. Four dingoes lined up with submachine guns, blocking his path. Shadow nimbly jumped over them like a hurdle before they had a chance to fire. 

The hedgehog once again focused energy into himself. This time that red, malefic radiance bathed his entire body. He was almost there. A well-timed spindash bowled over a G.U.N. and Acorn fighter. Shadow was back on his feet without a loss of momentum.

"(Get ready…)"

Now the path was clear. No one was in his way. The hedgehog zoomed up the stairs while Cristine stood her ground, confident that the barrier will hold together.

"HAH!" 

Shadow came on with a concentrated flurry of punches. The protective bubble flashed with each hit but he wasn't giving up. He followed up with a doozy of a flying kick, with a shoulder tackle for good measure.

"Give it up Shadow! You can't defeat me! This world will be under MY rule!"

"(Keep talking…the barrier is getting weaker. I can feel it in my blows.)

He kept pressuring with a fierce offensive. Hooks, jabs, flip kicks, elbows…even a few headbutts in the mix. The bubble was getting dimmer with each hit, and Shadow knew it. Cristine was beginning to edge back bit by bit. The hedgehog's assault was beginning to come through.

"(It's going to break…it's going to break!)" 

A strong drop kick had knocked the barrier back several feet, with the sorceress along with it. She fell on her backside, and then looked at him with anger.

"(This is it! All or nothing!)" 

His gloves turned hot with such unbridaled power…such raw might…and clashed them together. A half-smirk, half-smile appeared on his face. This was it. Feeling self-assured, he dashed toward Cristine Sisytus with both fists pointed forward. 

"GRRRRAAAAAGGGHHHH!"

As Shadow's fists made contact with the shield…a concise flash lit up the area. He and Cristine stood motionless.

"(…Did that do it?)"

A small crack had been etched in the forcefield, which soon spread throughout. The woman's worry could be read on her face as clear as day.

With a gratuitous shatter, the barrier had been broken. 

Cristine Sisytus was still on her backside, scooting herself back using her hands. "…No…NO! You…DIDN'T! You broke…you…you…BROKE IT! You're not an ordinary hedgehog… I…STAY BACK!"

Shadow kept stepping forward as Cristine kept moving backward, looking helpless.

"What's wrong? Not so tough now are you?"

"AH! I SAID STAY BACK!" 

"Farewell, woman. Your time ends here."

Just as Shadow reeled back to finish the world's nemesis off, he felt something piercing his back. "Ahh…I…I…"

She smiled again the second she knew what happened to Shadow. "Haha! What's wrong my dark friend?"

"Ah…I…I…damn it…can't…move!" 

"Forciliation Barota!" she recited.

A brand new barrier had wrapped around Cristine in protection once again, effectively putting Shadow's efforts to nil. His mind wanted him to move, but his body lacked the capacity. He was immobile.

"What's wrong? Forgot about my little orbs did you?"

"Grrrrr…." 

"I must hand it to you Shadow; no one has managed to break my barrier before. I was…a tiny bit surprised. You also made fools out of my so-called Elite Royal Guard. You fought like a demon possessed. You wield tremendous power, stranger. You will be of use to me…possibly even more than the Etherals…"

Purposefully, Cristine walked slowly to her victim. She kneeled down so they were face-to-face. The woman muttered to herself and a black cloud shrouded her hand, which she placed on the paralyzed Shadow's forehead.

"I think I have found the new General for my Elite Royal Guard..." she whispered to him.

Shadow grunted in discomfort as the black cloud began to seep into his mind. His eyes narrowed, his teeth clenched, he felt his mind starting to fade into nothingness.

"Urrggggg…"

"Relax Shadow…just relax. Soon all your cares in the world will just melt away…"

The more Shadow resisted, the faster the black cloud tainted his mentality. He belted out a scream of pain that pierced the air. He could feel his thoughts being wiped out, one by one. The hedgehog's eyes soon closed completely. He had lost consciousness, but still stood in place.

Cristine grinned and rubbed her hands in anticipation. She had him right where she wanted him. "Listen to me Shadow. From now on…you are under my control." 

The ultimate lifeform's eyes snapped back open…but they weren't the usual red now. They were faded, a dull gray.

"You will obey orders from me, and only me. Cristine Sisytus. You will be the General of my Elite Royal Guard. You will protect me with your life. I am preparing the second and final phase of the New Aliveria revival. I will need time and complete concentration. No one can interfere."

"…Yes…"

"Destroy anyone that opposes us."

"…Yes…"

"From now on…you will address me as Master Sisytus. I am your superior. I have no equal."

"Yes…Master Sisytus..."

"Good…very good…"

The sorceress put her arm around Shadow as if he was her long-time best friend. With a single utter, she cured him of his paralyzation.

"Come Shadow. To be General of an army, you have to look the part. Let's put you in something more suitable…"

With that, Cristine and Shadow walked by side by side and into the interior of the Royal Capital.

Meanwhile…in a cell block in some unknown land…

Handcuffed Sonic and company have been stuck inside the jail cell for least an hour now, and they already had several questions on their minds: Where are they? Who are these jaguars? Why did they rescue the ship? Why are they locked up? Where were the other Etherals? Is Vector ever going to wake up?

"How long do they intend to keep us in here?" Knuckles grumbled.

Antoine was hunched in a corner, looking around nervously. "What if zey keep in here…FOR…FOREVER?" 

"Relax muffin…we'll get outta here. One way or another…"

"(I can't believe Sonic said that to me…he would never say that to me…)" Tails thought over and over again. "(Was that an accident…or maybe he was just in a bad mood?)" 

Espio leaned back against the wall, keeping to himself. Mighty was keeping a close eye on his crocodile pal. A curious Charmy jumped up in front of the door slot. Sonic was pacing back and forth in impatience.

Just as things were beginning to get truly boring, a knock on the door had everyone turning heads.

"Who's there?" Sonic asked.

"Hmm hmm hmm…we meet again." 

The fortified door slid open and cast light into the room. They couldn't believe who stood there.

The hedgehog briskly headed toward the door. He didn't care about his hand and ankle cuffs. "NACK! Why you…"

The bounty hunter and his fellow feline soldiers were quick to pull out their guns and took aim.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!" Nack warned. "Slow your roll, hedgehog. Slow your roll."

"Hmph..."

The way Tails glared at Nack could cut through stone, not forgetting what he did back in the Mystic Ruins. "What do YOU want?"

"Mr. Watkins would like a meeting with all of you."

"Who?" 

"Mr. Watkins. A pretty cunning bastard he is. He runs Black City. Now, get your asses in gear. I don't have time to waste." 

"…Black City?"

The chained-up clique was led out of the cell and into several jeeps. Two jaguars sat in the front, one helpless jailbird was in back. The prisoners were transported through the muggy jungle. A 45-minute drive along a dirt road had led them up north. They had left the wild forest and neared a stern checkpoint. Once passing it, a dark and seedy urban city awaited them. One that they never seen before…

They had entered Black City, a place where shady deals and underhanded propositions were the everyday norm. Run-down ghettos and dilapidated buildings were strewn throughout the districts. The ever-present smog and smoke choked the already gloomy atmosphere. Crime was a staple in this city. Armed robbery, smuggling, murder, and racketeering were common occurrences. Lowlifes and miscreants roamed the grimy and gritty streets, looking to pickpocket or take advantage of any unsuspecting sucker. Gunshots and police sirens were the citizens' lullabies. 

The citizens rubbernecked at the jeeps rolling on through to Mr. Watkin's mansion, located on the west side of the city. Guards allowed them through the security gate and the cuffed mobians were escorted into the luxurious manor, single file. Nack was right behind them.

Bunnie was entranced by all the pricey assets. "This Mr. Watkins surrrre has a nice place here."

"This rivals King Acorn's castle, easily." The chameleon commented.

"Is Mr. Watkins the mayor of the city or somethin'?" Charmy asked. 

Nack leered. "Heh…something like that…"

"Hey Sonic…" Tails said, noticing the hedgehog said nothing during the entire trip here.

"…"

"…Sonic."

"…" 

"Sonic?"

"…"

"SONIC?"

The hedgehog quickly turned around and snapped at him. "What in the hell do you WANT, kid? You're like a damn gnat. Shut. UP."

"You know what Sonic? Never mind. Forget it!" The fox snapped back, turning his head away.

"Good. Now stop wasting your time and mine."

"…"

Sonic then gave a warm smile. "You okay little buddy? You look mad."

"Whaaaaat…" 

A gun-waving Nack showed them through the glossy solid brass double doors. "Mister Watkins is in his office. Don't make asses of yourselves. Now in you go you sons of bitches."

There was Mister Watkins sitting back in his cushy chair when they stepped in. He stood up and clapped his hands once in excitement. He smiled, showing his sharp gleaming whites. Wearing a classy business suit that matched his fur, two gold rings on his left hand, one on his right hand, a 24k diamond-studded watch on his right wrist, a single shimmering left earring, his bodyguards standing beside him, and puffing on a big cigar, this imposing 5'9'' black panther knew how to live like a big shot.

"Sonic the Hedgehog…and his friends…welcome to Black City, the capital of the Miyuki continent. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Monterey Watkins. King of this city. You can just call me Monterey…or just Monty if you choose to. Make yourselves at home. Sit down. Take a load off."

The hedgehog and fox looked at each other with boggled expressions. 

"Guards! Unlock the cuffs from our guests."

"Sir? Are you sure about this?"

"Do it. I want them to be as comfortable as possible."

At his order, they were soon free of their shackles. The rubbing of their wrists soon followed. 

"Before you welcomed guests get any funny ideas of escaping, let me inform you that many armed-to-the-fangs guards are situated at every exit. These jaguars are highly trained killers. They won't hesitate in ending your life at the snap of my fingers. They excel in firearms, and are especially adept at shooting moving targets…FAST moving targets especially." Monterey said, winking at Sonic.

Sonic gave a sarcastic smile.

"Would any of you like a cigar?"

"We don't smoke." Espio answered. "It's an unhealthy and foolish habit."

"Hmm…your loss. Now sit down everyone. We've got plenty of room here." 

They took their seats in the three soft leather sofas placed around the room. Sonic, Tails, Mighty, and Rotor sat in the first one. Knuckles, Antoine, and Charmy sat in the second. Bunnie tossed Vector in the third one and sat beside him and Espio.

"What's with the croc?" Monterey asked.

Knuckles shook his head. "He's been knocked out cold."

"By one of my guards?" 

"No. He hit his head on the floor. Hasn't woken up since."

"I see…anyway, you guys being here is sort of an accident. As you know, my associates have discovered what they thought was a deserted ship out in the ocean. I knew there had to be someone on board, since it just crash-landed into the drink not too long ago. What I didn't know, however, was that the famous Sonic the Hedgehog and his crew were on that very ship."

Monterey paused for a moment and took a big puff of his cigar.

"What do you do exactly?" Sonic asked.

"How should I answer this…I…work on the 'other' side of the law. I engage in rather… 'questionable' activity."

"Such aaaaas?" 

The panther took another puff of the cigar and then did a slight chuckle.

"No use dancing around the subject. I will be blunt, straight to the point. I am what you might call a 'Mob Boss'…the 'Godfather' if you will. I'm responsible for the majority of the 'illicit businesses' in Black City. You know how we operate."

"You make people sleep with the fishes?" Mighty asked.

"Order a hit on somebody?" Charmy also asked.

Bunnie chimed in. "Do you make them kiss your rings too?"

"Ha! I think you all get the idea. But back to the reason I summoned you all here..."

"?"

"You all couldn't have come at a more opporitune time. I need for you to do a little job for me."

Knuckles hissed. "And what would THAT be?"

"On the west side of Black City is a train station, which I own. From there are trains that make a round trip to Sylvia Mountain far north of here. It's past the valley. At the foot of the mountain is a mineshaft with a precious metal, Orichalcum. My men mine the metal and ship them on the trains. It is transported back to the city where my lackeys take the orichalcum to an undisclosed location. Problem is a train comes back every 5 hours."

There was another puff of the cigar, followed by a couple taps on the ashtray.

"Yet a train hasn't come back since yesterday morning. The tracks have been empty since then. That…has me concerned. I need for you to go up to the mineshaft and report to me what the hold up is. I will give you a video camera, and you will record what you see there. I already had sent my best men up via plane to inspect, but I haven't heard from them. With your speed Sonic, you should be up there in a snap."

Sonic cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck. "Very entertaining story and all Monty, but why should we do what you say? You're nothing but a lowly thug in a pricy suit."

"Interesting point, Mr. Hedgehog. I think I have some good reasons why you should take this assignment. One: We'll kill you. Two: We have your ship. Three…"

Monterey nodded his head, and one of the bodyguards grabbed Vector out of his seat. He swiftly dragged him over to the boss. The panther placed a metal collar around the crocodile's neck, and it closed with a clack.

An angry Knuckles stood up. "WHAT DID YOU PUT ON HIM?"

The black panther took a long puff, and savored its flavor.

"This is an armed explosive collar. During your mission, if any of my men report that you are doing something you shouldn't be doing, I hit the switch and this conked-out suitcase goes Boom. He will stay here as insurance. I hope we've come to an understanding."

"You dirty little…"

"Let it go Knuckles." Sonic told him. "We don't have a choice. Hey…Monty, when we come back with the report, can we get our ship back? Will you free Vector?"

"…I'll think about it."

"You'll think about it? YOU'LL THINK ABOUT IT?!" the echidna growled. "YOU DAMN WELL BETTER GIVE US VECTOR AND OUR SHIP BACK!!"

"Not with that attitude. You are already trying my patience. I suggest you get going before your reptilian friend here is gumbo. You are excused."

Monterey had finished his cigar and handed Sonic the video camera. The doors were opened and the bodyguards stood like dominos on both sides. The disadvantaged mobians left Monterey's office and out of the mansion.

"Well that stinks…" Mighty said.

Bunnie and Rotor agreed. "I'll say."

The red guardian was still angry. "I CAN'T believe we are DOING this crap! We're supposed to be knocking off the Etherals and getting to Cristine Sisytus, but instead we're stuck playing errand boy for some flea-bitten jackass cat!"

"No use sitting here crying about it Knucklehead. Besides, I'll go. I'll just do this one job, get our ship back, free Vector, and we'll leave this pop stand."

"You're going by yourself?" Tails asked. "Can I come?"

"Sure. Try to keep up, okay?"

"Right." 

"You guys just stay here and chill. I'll be back in a Sonic second."

"Monsieur Sonic. Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?"

"Tails and I will be fine. Y'all just relax."

Before his friends could say anymore, Sonic and Tails dashed north through town. It wasn't long before they broke out of the city limits.

_Stage L: Velocity Valley_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Get to Sylvia Mountain.  
Run. Run! RUN!! This is what it's all about, the true essence of Sonic speed. Due to your changing body, your will automatically be in Burst Mode and remain that way for the whole stage. It'll be one crazy blur as you rush through this treacherous, yet lush and beautiful valley. Dash up and down impossibly steep hills with ease, time your jumps on floating platforms, grind and show off on rails, race up a monstrous waterfall, blaze along the mountainside to get past huge chasms, and take on larger-than-life loops. Trees and rocks won't stop you. Bust right through them. Agents from a rival syndicate are here in the valley and they are intent on taking out anyone that passes through, particularly those that work for Monterey. German Shepards in military uniform will come at you on land and air. With your speed, you don't have to fight them. Hell, just run through them. You will have to do some quick maneuvering to avoid their fire though. The ground soldiers are equipped with rotary miniguns (you may have to roll or jump depending on the height of gunfire), M20 bazookas (inaccurate, but don't steer into one by mistake), and land mines (spot the red flashing lights ahead and avoid them). If you hear the roar of an engine and a huge shadow passing over you, prepare for an onslaught from a bomber plane. A salvo of napalms is coming for you. Use the shadows to determine where they'll land. Weave back and forth between the consecutive blasts. Keep up the pace and you'll earn a huge time bonus. Complete the stage by reaching the train station near the base of Sylvia Mountain.

Sonic and Tails arrived at the train stop, located not too far from the mineshaft. The natural, pleasantly scented scenery was an easing departure from the rough city.

"There's the train...it's still at the station…" the hedgehog told him.

"Wait Sonic…I hear something…listen."

They walked to the train. It wasn't huge, only five cars in length. Both of them stood still and perked their ears up. They heard a low murmur near the back.

"There's people here…" the hedgehog whispered. 

"Shh!"

Stepping quietly, they slinked close to the train and leaned up against the caboose. Sonic peeked around the corner ever so slightly and saw the source of the voices.

"Heh…I thought so…"

"What is it Sonic?"

"Those German dogs that tried to kill us back there are here too. I think they're the reason why the trains have stopped."

A canine carrying a large brown sack on his shoulder jumped from the conductor's car. "That's the last of the Orichalcum. Maxwell will be mighty pleased."

"Yeah…imagine the look on that fleabag's face when he finds out all his precious metal is gone!" 

"Sir! The plane is loaded and ready to go!"

"Right. Let's move out!"

The group of five German Shepards headed toward the awaiting private jet, laughing and talking amongst themselves on a job well done. They were about to make a clean getaway.

"Oooh no they don't…" Sonic muttered.

"Are you ready Sonic?"

"Ready Tails. Let's kick some tail. V formation?"

"V formation."

With some sort of weird battle cry, the two spread out and attacked the dogs from both sides. Sonic came hard with a surprise roundhouse kick that knocked two down. The bag fell and spilled open, revealing the sparkling goods. Tails grabbed one by the arms and flew high into the air, and then dropped him to the ground. A jumping spin-dash to the face and a flying punch took care of the rest.

Sonic dusted his hands clean. "Tooooooo easy. Hangin' in there Tails?"

"I'm fine. Let's record these dogs on the video camera."

The hedgehog took out the recording machine and fiddled around with it. "Uhh…how do you turn it on?"

"I'll take it from here, thanks." Tails said as he took it away from him. With a simple button press, it was powered up and ready to go.

The fox adjusted the focus and aimed at the canines. He cleared his throat. "Ahem! These German Shepards were caught taking the Orichalcum from the train, Mr. Watkins. As you can see, they were about to carry a bag of the goods into that private jet right there." 

A yell from the conductor's car caught the fox's attention.

"Yo Tails! I think you should see this…." 

He turned around and skipped up the steps into the head of the train. It turned out that these dogs were determined. They played for keeps. Four jaguars were laid out, their blood-splattered bodies littered all over the seats and floor. Tails refocused the camera as Sonic shook his head.

"Unfortunately Mr. Watkins, it seems these German Shepards have killed off some of your men to get to the cargo. They were serious apparently."

"Let's check out the mineshaft next."

"I'll be there in a second. Hold on."

Meanwhile…back in Black City…

The rest of the posse was waiting just outside of the gates to Monterey's mansion, waiting for Sonic and Tails' return. They all had their own ways to pass the time. Mighty and Charmy relaxed on a nearby bench. Rotor and Bunnie sat on the curb of the sidewalk. Antoine looked at himself in a shop window across the street. Knuckles leaned against a lamp post, looking unhappy as usual. Espio was practicing his ninjitsu with a nearby tree.

The old run-down city continued its same old routine, until two great beings graced it with their presence. They're heeeeere. Shiro the Earth Dragon and Demi the Gravity Demon had entered town, flying high above.

The Etheral Shiro bellowed a mammoth roar, and created a tremor that shook up several city blocks. At ungodly speed, the dragon then divebombed towards the ground. With an agile flip, he landed on his feet. His massive bulk crushed the concrete and shattered glass of surrounding homes and passing cars. They flew through the air. Shiro lowered his head to the ground with a snarl. His golden eyes gleamed for a moment, and another tremor began. The ground cracked and a fissure had formed from where he stood, and it spread in several directions. Like several snakes on the hunt, the wide-open crevices swallowed up anything that was in their path. People, buildings...everything…fell into the blackness below.

Demi was claiming this city as his as well. He teleported at various locations and fired dark blasts with reckless abandon. All that came into contact with them shot straight up into the sky. What goes up must come down…

The citizens began to panic and flee at the sight of these foreign creatures, and had scrambled into their homes, vehicles, whatever place they could hide into. The streets were quickly emptied of life, by hook or by crook. Police stations and emergency lines were soon flooded with calls.

Knuckles and his camp lined up and stood in attention.

"Screams and smoke…coming from that direction!" The echidna informed.

"Do you think…?"

"Zee Etherals?"

"There's one way to find out…"

"Chaotix…Bunnie, Frenchie, Rotor…let's go."

"What about Sonic and Tails?" Charmy asked.

"We can't wait for them now. We'll just have to make due without them."

The group hightailed it to the central district of Black City, past the chaos and confusion, to where Demi was doing his damage. They looked up at the misty-black demon with those shining white eyes.

Knuckles shouted. "HEY PUNK!! WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEBODY YOUR OWN SIZE?!"

The demon shook erratically and hissed. He teleported right in front of the group in a heartbeat. "LIKE YOU?"

"Yes. Like me." 

Espio held his edge knife close to him. "Do you need our help, Knuckles?"

"I'm fine. I can take him myself. You guys just concentrate on getting the stragglers to safety. Take them to the outskirts of the city."

"You sure you got this Knux?"

"Yes Mighty. I got this. Now go. If I need you guys, I'll let you know."

"Whatever you say, man. Let's roll out."

Mighty, Espio, Charmy, Antoine, Bunnie, and Rotor ran off and spread out to get the injured out of harm's way. 

"Where's Mach?" the Etheral asked.

"He's busy right now. You can tangle with me though."

"No matter. Once I get rid of you, that hedgehog and his pals are next." 

The Guardian of the Master Emerald threw a few practice punches. Demi cackled and raised his claws in the air.

_Boss: Demi - The Gravity Demon Etheral_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
It's Demi again. This fight with the gravity demon will span several city blocks. You will have to use your brawn as well as brains to defeat him. Don't try to simply to run up and punch him, he'll dodge with ease. You have to stun the Etheral first in order to damage it. Each city block you fight in will give you a way to do that, but you'll have to figure out how to do it first. Demi will keep teleporting near your location and use his power to launch cars, lampposts, benches, trees, among other things your way. Make sure to keep moving and/or take cover. In this city block, you may notice a fire hydrant and a wooden power pole on one of the streets. When you get near the hydrant, a command will appear onscreen. It will tell you to rotate the analog stick 360 degrees. Keep rotating until the water is sprayed. A huge puddle will be formed. Now punch the wooden power pole repeatedly until it falls over and laces the puddle with electricity. Don't step in it. Lure him toward the water and he'll teleport right on it. Demi will be electrocuted and get blasted down the street. The demon will be lying on the ground stunned. Jump up and perform your drill claw right down onto Demi to damage him. He'll then get back up and retaliate by firing an unavoidable gravity blast that sends you several hundred feet into the air (he'll do this everytime you hurt him). No problem. You can glide back down to safety. But Demi won't make it easy. He'll send vehicles careening your way as you work your way back down to ground level. Evade them as best as possible. The smog will limit your visibility, so be watchful. By the time you return to earth, Demi will be at another city block. Go meet him there.

In the second city block, take note of three things you see here: a semi-truck transporting gasoline has tipped over, large chunks of debris are scattered about the streets, and there is smoke bellowing out of a third-floor apartment. How do you stun Demi here? Here's how. Keep in mind that Demi will keep flinging objects your way, so keep those two feet moving. First, pick up one of the pieces of debris from the street. Next, carry it to the apartment with the smoke pouring out. Run up the stairs to the third floor. There's a raging fire here. Get close to the blaze and push the B button to set the piece of wreckage on fire. Now hurry and run back down to the street. Now remember that Demi always likes to teleport near you. Stand by the tipped-over gasoline truck and wait until the demon gets close. Now use the B button to throw the flaming scrap at the truck and run like hell. If your aiming and timing is spot on, it will clash right into the huge gas tank and catch Demi in a tremendous fiery explosion. If you screw up, don't worry. The gas will still leak. Grab another piece of debris and repeat the process. The Etheral will again fall to the ground. Drill claw him, and prepare to get cast into the air again. The vehicles will be launched up at you like before, except there will be more of them. Demi will meet you at the third city block when come back down.

At the third and final city block of this fight, there isn't any thinking involved. Just fast-paced platforming skills. A gaping, 50-yard wide crevasse has run up a major street, stretching for miles. Demi will manipulate gravity and cause vehicles to float before him. The Etheral has been significantly weakened, and can no longer muster up enough energy to teleport. He will attempt to get away by using those vehicles as floating platforms, and hop along high above that crevasse. Climb up the side of a building and glide to the first floating car. Pursue him. Hope you're not afraid of heights. Hop/glide from automobile to automobile as you gain up on him. The distances between them will vary. Don't lollygag too long on one car, otherwise it'll fall. Demi is pretty speedy. It'll take you a good minute or two to catch up to him. As you near his position, be wary of the gravity orbs he'll chuck at you. Get hit and you'll be forced off into the pit below. The vehicles will start to rotate in random directions as well. Use those climbing skills to get into a favorable position and adjust your jumping. Once you get to the demon, give him a good punch to start the next cutscene.

The rageful Knuckles raised his trembling fist back, took aim, and struck Demi right across the jaw. The Etheral squealed as it fell into the deep dark crevasse below. A few moments had passed before a dark aura rose from the blackness and zipped off out of sight.

"That six down…only one more to go…and he's very close…I know it."

Knuckles jumped and soared through the sky to another district.

The echidna's comrades were busy getting the less capable out of the city. Bunnie and Antoine carried stray children onto a waiting van, headed by Espio.

"That's all for this area, sugah-ninja." 

"Err…right. I'll take this third batch to the southern city limits."

Espio shifted the gear stick into drive and went down the street.

Mighty ran down the street with two injured people in his arms. Charmy pulled an innocent bystander from a smoldering pile of rubble.

"Th…thank you…"

"No prob! Let's get away from this mess!"

Rotor was diligent in applying the appropriate medicine to the secured just outside of town.

Shiro continued to wreak havoc on the Black City.

A disgusted Monterey turned off the television and threw down the remote after watching the latest special report. He began pacing back and forth in his office, huffing and puffing on another cigar. His long tail swished back and forth violently. You could tell he wasn't in the best of moods right now. Every single armed guard in the mansion lined up in rows before him. Nack was in the front row, all the way to Monterey's right. Nothing but their eyes moved, which followed the panther. This cat wasn't about to let some outsider, whether man or beast, take a piece of his city.

"My boys. You know and I know that my Black City is under attack by some foul beast. For many years I scratched and clawed my way to the top of organized crime, intimidating and taking care of any opposing factions without remorse or regret. Every single block in this city knows and respects my name. I'M the reason this place is called Black City! I'M the reason the cops have jobs! I'M the reason why people pray at night!"

Monterey abruptly stopped and pointed at a certain weasel. "NACK!"

He stepped forward and respectfully kneeled down in front of the feline, then kissed one of his rings. "Yes Mr. Watkins?"

"I want you to assist my men in killing that damn dragon. You can use whatever you need to get the job done. You will be rewarded rather handsomely."

"Yes sir. It will be done."

"Pardon me guys." Sonic said from out of nowhere. He rushed in out of the blue and handed the cat the video camera. "You'll find what you're looking for in there. I'd like to stay and chat kitties, but I gotta help my friends."

Sonic left as fast as he came in. The panther looked at the video camera in his paw and placed it on the table. After a moment of awkward silence, he continued.

"Change of plans, Nack."

"Yes sir?"

"I want you to help Sonic and his friends in the fight."

"Help Sonic? What?" 

"If you don't like it, you can find another job."

"Oh n…no sir! I'll help them."

"This is MY city, gentlemen. Let's show this creature what happens when you cross Monterey Watkins! Now go! You are dismissed!"

"YES SIR!" 

Nack and the jags turned around and roared out of the mansion. The boots marched in step. The guns were ready. The objective was clear. Kill Shiro. Restore control.

"About damn time you came back!" Knuckles barked.

"Miss me that much eh?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, as well as the rest of the crew had gathered at the northeast district of Black City, where the last of the Seven Etherals didn't show any sign of stopping its indiscriminate destruction. Bodies were consumed to feed Shiro's hunger, blood had stained the streets, fire had immolated everything in its path, and fissures had permanently changed the shape of the city. Countless innocent lives were lost to the King of the Etherals.

The Wind Etheral stretched himself out and flashed his teeth, letting his new fangs show. Orange pulsed in his eyes for a short while.

"We need to stop him NOW."

"But how?" Tails inquired. "How are we going to tackle it without some sort of plan?"

"Plan? Pfffft. Screw the plan. I feel like I could take on anything right now. In fact…I feel like I could RIP off Shiro's head right now!" 

"Whoa whoa… Now's not the time for being over-confident, Sonic." Rotor cautioned.

"Who spiked his punch?" Mighty muttered to Charmy.

Espio spoke up. "We could just attack Shiro from all sides…like an ambush. He certainly won't expect it. Just hit him hard and fast with our most powerful attacks."

"He can fly though. That's going to present a problem." Knuckles said.

Tails looked down and sighed. "If only we had the Space Fox…"

"Oui…but zat over-zealous cat won't let us have it…"

"Tis a dang shame Twan. I feel like we're jus' ants going up against a cockroach." 

Sonic tried to encourage them. "Aww…come on you guys! This isn't like you at all! All this boo-hooing isn't going to get anything done! Espio had a good plan. Just have all of us attack at once!"

That familiar voice rang from around the block. "Before you guys do anything stupid, how about we help you out?" 

"Nack…"

The weasel had a small army of brave cats of behind him, ready to do whatever it takes for their one and only boss.

Sonic gave him a dirty look. "You guys…Nack…help us?"

"Don't get the wrong idea. We're doing it for Monterey, not you."

"He's paying you big isn't he?" 

"Damn right. But enough talking, let's go. That dragon will be history."

Sonic's group and Nack's group rolled together and leaned up against an abandoned grocery store. The weasel and everyone else edged towards the intersection. Nack put a hand up as a signal to stop. He peeked around the corner and there was Shiro, no more than 40 feet away. The dragon stood tall and proud, and let out a big roar of dominance. It was so loud that everyone had to cover their ears. On his hind legs, he was at least three stories tall.

Nack returned to the group and said two words to a jaguar. "Rocket launcher."

The mercenary was handed the loaded weapon and he hoisted it up on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" Mighty whispered.

"Yeah I'm sure. I'll blow that dragon away with one shot."

Nack took aim, remained steady…

"He's brave…or nuts…" a cat said.

He fired.

The rocket whizzed straight into Shiro's chest with a whopping explosion. The dragon screeched as it went flat on his back. Once the smoke cleared, he still lied there. He didn't move.

Nack still held the launcher. "Did I get 'em?"

"It looks like it." Tails answered. 

"(This is too good to be true.)" Espio thought.

The weasel waved the others to come along. "Ha. Come soldiers. Follow my lead."

Nack and the small army carefully came out of the shadows and surrounded the dragon on all sides, weapons ready to blast with a single twitch. Sonic's clique weren't so confident. They stood back farther.

Charmy's face brightened. "I think Nack might've done it! That big bad dragon still hasn't moved!"

"No." Sonic said to him. "He's not dead. He would've transformed into an aura by now. He's playing opossum." 

The blue hedgehog was right. An upward curve appeared on Shiro's lips and his golden eyes snapped to life. The dragon leapt back up on its feet. He looked to the left and smacked the first half of the jaguars away with its massive tail. His eyes flashed and looked to the right. The street rumbled violently and split, forming a chasm right underneath the other half of the cats. Their bodies and screams fell into nothingness.

Nack was shaking and he stepped back, still holding the launcher. Sonic's team stepped in front of him.

"We got this." The hedgehog said.

Shiro flashed his serrated teeth in some sort of twisted smile. "MACH THE HEDGEHOG…I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH I HAD TO DESTROY BEFORE I BROUGHT YOU OUT."

"Shiro the Earth Dragon…long time no see. I was little preoccupied. But now that we're all here, prepare to get licked just like the rest. You're the last one, buddy."

"DON'T MISJUDGE ME. I AM THE KING OF THE ETHERALS. MASTER SISYTUS REQUIRES THAT YOUR EXISTENCE ENDS IMMEDIATELY. PREPARE YOURSELVES!"

"Bring it!"

Shiro bellowed toward the heavens as the mobians prepared for their toughest fight yet.

_Boss: Shiro - The Earth Dragon Etheral_ (Player: **Sonic**, **Tails**, **Knuckles**, **Nack**, **Antoine**)   
This is it! The last and most powerful Etheral stands before you, so naturally this will be the longest and most difficult battle yet. It'll take the efforts of these five mobians to take down Shiro. Antoine will start first. In the Main Street intersection, your friends will be busy trying to fight the Etheral, with no results. They'll be fine, ignore them. Be aware of the large ravine on the west side of the battlefield. The dragon will be stomping around, peforming strong attacks such as lunging forward to bite you, and summoning stalagmites from the concrete to stab you. Getting struck with a stalagmite inflicts 35 damage to your life. These come up exceptionally fast and unless you know where they'll strike beforehand, chances are that you'll get hit. Here's how to know. Notice that a glow will appear in front of Shiro's eyes before summoning. Whichever direction he faces are where the stalagmites will strike. Make sure he's not looking at you when that happens. To damage Shiro in this phase, wait until he is about to lunge at you. Strike him with the sword just before he makes contact. He'll reel back and roar if successful. You haven't inflicted damage yet. Make sure to get the timing down or you'll get hurt. Do this 4 times and the dragon will lay down and rub his face in pain. Run up his neck and you'll see an orange glowing orb right on his spine. Get near it and stab downward with the B button. Now you've inflicted damage. Shiro will scream out and flap its wings. Antoine will fall off and Tails will hop on. It's his turn now.

The fox will be riding on the dragon's back as he flies high above the city. Don't let your guard down however, he can still attack you. He'll try to bite if you get too close to the front. He'll lash you with his tail if you get too acquainted with the back. If you see Shiro's body shaking, he is about to do a barrel roll. Fly up and hover before you get thrown off and lose a life. Hey. Look close and you'll notice two red orbs. One is at the very tip of each wing. Don't try to get to one while he's flapping his wings, there's no chance. Wait until he glides. While Shiro's giving his wings a rest, run along and spin-attack one of them. Fly back to the body and hover quick so you won't fall off from the barrel roll counterattack. Once you've struck both orbs, the dragon will scream again and lose his concentration. You've caused more damage. He'll be so focused on the pain that he'll crash right into a building. Shiro will fall down to the ground and be temporarily dazed. Tails will jump off. It's Nack's time here.

Everyone's favorite bounty hunter will be at the control of a mounted submachine gun atop a military jeep. One of Monterey's lackeys will be at the wheel so you don't have to worry about steering. As soon as Shiro wakes up, he'll start chasing you down the street. Your feline friend will put the pedal to the medal, speeding around obstacles and pits. You will automatically enter first-person view through the scope. Use the analog stick to aim, and the A button to fire. Protect the jeep by fending off Shiro's attacks. If he lunges for your vehicle, fire at his head before he damages it. Three hits will destroy your ride. If he grabs the jeep with his feet he'll swerve it back and forth, making aim difficult. Fire at them so he'll lose his grip. To deal damage to Shiro, wait until you see him charging up energy in his mouth. He is readying to use his stone breath. If he follows through, he'll petrify the jeep and everyone in it. You'll lose a life obviously. If you look in his mouth as he prepares the attack, you'll see a glowing orb in the back of his throat. That's the spot. Shoot him there to not only prevent the breath, but to damage him as well. Once you make the successful shot, he will fly to another location to regain his bearings. Get ready, guardian.

Shiro will fly to Winston Bridge to regain his bearings. This long four-lane bridge separates the east and west sides of Black City. Vast waters run underneath it. As Knuckles, you will need to be above and below the bridge to survive here. You can see the dragon's weak point right away. The glowing orb is on his chest this time. Getting to it will be another story unfortunately. Shiro will attack from out-of-reach places, knowing his vulnerability. You'll have to catch him when he makes a mistake. The dragon will start by diving into the water to the right or left side of the bridge, creating a huge tidal wave. Do whatever it takes to avoid getting washed away: hang on to the side of the bridge, stand behind one of the support beams, glide against the wave, etc. If you see the dragon hovering high above and charging energy, haul your ass down below and hang on tight to one of the pillars. The deadly stone breath he delivers will hit the entire upper half of the bridge. You don't want to be an echidna statue. Shiro will notice your craftiness and move down below, but still far away so you won't reach him. He'll charge up again. Hastily move to the topside to avoid another breath of death. Once more the beast will hover high above the bridge. He will summon numerous chunks of concrete from the bridge. They will float before you. In about 7 seconds, all those rock masses will be shot at you simultaneously. Evasion is doubtful. Instead of waiting for the inevitable, jump and glide on those suspended rocks up to Shiro (the process will repeat if you fail to). Climb on his body to the orb. Push the B button and Knuckles will wail away on it, making the Etheral suffer more damage. He will move on to another part of the city. Sonic the Hedgehog…it's time to work.

The dragon will move to the skies again and circle around Black City like a vulture. There's a rail system high above ground-level that spans around the entire perimeter of town. As Sonic, grind along the rails and chase down Shiro. You can speed up by holding the B button. Switch between the three rails or jump when necessary to avoid his attacks, which include: projectile rocks, lunge bites from below, divebombs (speed up if there's a huge shadow above you), sweeping stone breath (unlike the other characters, you can break out of petrification by mashing on the buttons. Getting hit while stoned is death though.) The smog will again limit your visibility, so keep your eyes peeled. When you catch up to the dragon, jump on his back. Work your way toward the head. Make sure to hold down (either on d-pad or analog stick) when it appears onscreen to keep your grip when Shiro does multiple barrel rolls. There's the orb on his forehead. Bounce attack that sucker and it'll vanish. The orb will reappear on his back. Work your way there and bounce on it again. The orb will disappear once more and show up on the tip of his tail. Go there. Don't forget to hold on when prompted. Grind along that tail and hit it yet again. You'll damage Shiro for the last time and he'll fall to the street with a glorious crash. Congratulations, all seven Etherals have been defeated. Good job everyone. You have done it. 

Shiro lied on his side, down and out, breathing his last breath. With one last grand roar he rose to his feet once again, only to fall back down in a heap. His body exploded with an extravagant light, and an auburn aura floated in his place. It went like a bullet into Sonic's chest.

"Gah!"

_"Well! It looks like we know who the real King of the Etherals is...Good luck Mach…"_

Tails, Knuckles, Nack, the Chaotix, Antoine, Rotor, as well as what's left of Monterey's army celebrated openly in the streets. Black City was saved. There was good reason to feel proud. They had finally done it. All seven Etherals have been destroyed. High-fives, applause and pat-on-the-backs were all around.

Sonic on the other hand was down on his knees, wrapping his arms around himself in terrible pain. He was shivering severely.

Tails saw his friend suffering and ran over to him. He bent down next to his pal and patted his back, only to burn his hand.

"Owowowow! You're burning hot again!"

"S…sorry…"

"Okay men! Mission accomplished! Report back to Watkins' mansion!" Nack ordered. The remaining jaguars followed, still carrying on.

The other pals gathered around Sonic, worried about his condition.

"Mon ami…are you okay?"

"Sonic?"

"What's wrong?"

"Uhh…Hello?"

"Check out the heat coming off of him. You can see it…"

"He has the pure power of all seven Etherals inside his body. Who knows what's going to happen to him…"

Tails turned so he was face to face with Sonic. The hedgehog's eyes were closed and he was sweating profusely. His chest rose and fell with each heavy breath. As each second passed, he felt something taking over him…more and more… 

"It…it…"

Sonic just lost it and dropped face-first into the ground. He wasn't moving.

"He's passed out!" Charmy exclaimed.

Rotor checked for a pulse. "Irregular heartbeat. Combination of over-exertion and the Etherals probably did it to him."

"Let's take him to Monterey's. He can rest there." Knuckles suggested.

With her partially-robotic strength, Bunnie effortlessly lifted Sonic onto her shoulder.

Less than 30 minutes later the hedgehog was resting silently, currently dead to the world. He was in one of many bedrooms on the mansion's second floor. The panther himself and everyone else stood before him. It was deathly quiet. Rotor was busy taking a blood sample from Sonic's arm. Tails sighed with worry. You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

Monterey eloquently sipped on some fine wine. "Thanks for the video. I expected nothing less from Sonic and his associates. I should've known it was Maxwell and those mangy slobbering German Shepards…"

"Does this mean we get Vector back…as well as the Space Fox?" Espio questioned.

"…Sure. You brought up your end of the bargain. I'll bring up mine."

Monterey put a pinky and thumb in his mouth and whistled. That music-loving crocodile was entered the room, wide-awake and no longer wearing the explosive collar.

"S'up dawgs! Did I miss anything?"

"Vector!" Mighty, Charmy, and Espio said together.

All five Chaotix members were reunited again with friendly gestures. They were telling him everything that has happened since his concussion.

Tails looked out the window. "Where is the Space Fox?"

"I"ll show you where it is soon enough, once Sonic awakens. We took the liberty of repairing it for you. It's not fully restored, but you should be to use the basic functions without a problem."

"Really? Thanks!"

"Don't mention it. I'm not such a bad person once you get to know me."

Tails continued to stare out the window.

**_Next Chapter: Ruin_**


	18. Ruin

**Chapter 18 - Ruin**

Sally and the Wolfpack stood there in the sterile room, in the deepest, darkest bowels of the Dark Sanctuary. Much to his chagrin, Archimedes had revealed to his newfound friends his 'bane of existence'…his 'dirty little secret'…his 'Sin'.

"The Forbidden Codex." Archimedes said, showing them the book with a wave of the wing.

"That book…" Sally muttered. "The source of the Ruler's power…as well as Cristine's…but…"

"What I want to know is, how in the hell could all these bodies create such a simple object?" Lupe asked.

"The Forbidden Codex is anything but simple." The owl replied. "Allow me to explain its origin…how this little red book came to be. You may want to sit down."

The chipmunk/squirrel and the wolves sat down in chairs, and remained attentive.

"First and foremost…as you might've guessed…I'm an Aliverian."

Sally nodded. "I had a feeling you were."

"I was a chancellor to the Ruler of the Old Aliveria long ago...his most trusted assistant. Now this was before the city had flourished into its magnificent glory, in fact it was about 1400 years before we had come across… 'it'."

"The Codex?" Lupe asked.

"Not quite. One day, I was assigned with a mission from the Ruler: To descend and search around the desolate Earth for any resources that may be of use to us. I flew down below to the planet and began my task. (cough! cough!) All day I was searching across the lands…but it was for naught. It seemed that there was nothing. But…as the sun set, I discovered the entrance to an odd cavern in a wasteland, behind a thick wall of withered vines and foilage. Excited that I've finally found something, I immediately brushed the flora aside and stepped in." 

Sally continued looking at Archimedes. "Then what happened?"

"I went down a long, descending staircase that seemed to stretch for an eternity. Pitch black and barely a sound. If it weren't for the glow emanating from my orb necklace, I would've been floundering about in complete darkness. I kept walking down the stairs, lower and lower. Lower and lower. I swear it felt I've been walking down these steps for hours."

"The same steps that we just used to get here?"

Archimedes coughed a few times before having himself a seat in a chair.

"Correct, Sally. The very same. Finally, I reached the bottom to the ruins that we are in now. I explored and made my way here to this room. This room would have been empty…except for a single, red book that sat in the middle of the floor. It had glowed red in color. I knew something wasn't right as soon as I saw it. It made an odd sound that grew louder and louder as I kept stepping toward it, the sound of a…beating heart."

"(A beating heart…)" a few thought to themselves.

"It felt like I was drawn to this book, regardless of what I thought of it. I honestly wanted to leave right then and there, but that beating…that glow…it was hypotnic. It was like it caught me in a trance…(cough!) I reached out and placed it my hands. A cold, freezing chill ran through my body, like an ice pick through my chest. A voice then spoke to me…" 

Archimedes belted out a few more coughs and took a moment to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" Lupe questioned.

"I'm okay. Don't worry yourself over me."

"What did the voice say to you?"

_"Fill the pages with the blood of the suffering…and my power will be yours to wield."_

The gang glanced up at the liquid-filled tubes that contained the bodies. It was starting to make a twisted kind of sense now.

"I opened the book and flipped through the pages, they were all blank. I asked the voice who he was, and he introduced himself as 'Mezaryth'." 

"Mezaryth…?"

"Mezaryth was simply put, an unusual individual. He instructed me to gather up people, seven of them, and torture them in the most sadistic methods, then extract their blood and soak the pages with it. Doing so will enable me to possess his power."

Sally eyed him in an unflattering manner. "…And you actually DID that?"

Archimedes sighed and looked down, not bothering to answer. "…Anyways, I took the book with me and left the cavern. Night had fallen. I flew back up to Aliveria's Royal Capital to show the Ruler what I had found. (cough!) I explained to him what had happened…about the book, and the voice, about his offer. He seemed intrigued by the whole ordeal. Now, I've known the Ruler for centuries, and when he has this certain look on his face…the look of determination…there was very little anyone could do to stop him…"

Hugo scratched his ear. "The Ruler wanted to go through with it, didn't he?" 

"…In a word, yes. He tried to explain to me that in a growing city of 30,000 people, a few torture subjects is a small price to pay for the potentially awesome powers he'll wield. The powers that will in the long run help mold the city in his glorious image. I simply opposed to the idea. Spilling an innocent's blood, let alone seven, is not the way to build a city."

"You two had a disagreement. Then what?" Sally quiered.

"The Ruler said that he was sorry that I felt that way. He told me to stay where I am while he returned to his private quarters to do some thinking. A short time later, he appeared and stood in front of me. Face to face. After some thought, he said that I was right, that HE shouldn't treat people like guinea pigs to meet his own ends, that HE shouldn't subject people to bodily harm to empower himself. But…"

The posse didn't say anything; they thought they knew what would happen next.

"The Ruler was nothing more than a cold-hearted conniving bastard. The person I trusted most in my life turned against me. He secretly held a poisoned-tipped dart in his palm, in which he quickly stabbed me in the arm with."

"Son of a bitch…" a wolf grumbled.

"The Ruler told me that the poison will kill me in 6 days. I had one of two choices to make. The first was to gather up some Aliverians and make them suffer and bleed, then forfeit the book to him. He'll give me the antidote upon completion. OR. I refuse and die a slow, painful death from the poison. I'm sure you can guess which choice I made."

An uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry…I really am…but as you can see, it's not like I really had a choice. Anyways, I returned back to Earth and reentered the cavern. I constructed this room you see here and designed the capsules to contain and torment the victims. The many wires pierced into their flesh and fur transferred their blood into small beakers. I then poured the liquid onto the pages, staining them red. Their anguished howls will never leave my mind…God…forgive me…forgive me…"

Archimedes sniffled a bit and a lump formed in his throat. He was on the verge of crying…but he held it back.

"Are you okay?" Sally asked.

"I'm fine…let me continue. Once I have stained the book's pages with the blood, it began to glow a crimson color. The book levitated into the air and opened on its own. One by one, the pages turned. Each stained page soaked up the blood, as if it was drinking it. They were pure white. Within a minute, the book had become clean again. The voice again spoke to me..."

_"Well met, bird. You have done what I had asked. Before I grant you my power, I should thank you."_

"For what? Who are you really?"

"I am Mezaryth…a demon that was banished here from another world, trapped inside that cursed book by my bretheren. They had sealed me using a blood pact incantation. The blood of seven suffering would free me from my shackles."

"What did you do to get banished?"

"Details…that's not important. What's important now is that I'm free…and I'll return to my world to extact my revenge on those who wronged me. But…I am a demon of my word, and I shall leave you with a portion of my power. Present the book to me."

Archimedes picked the book up with both hands, and held it above his head.

"Demonus Maquiro Reverin Lirvenia…corrupt this book with my blackened soul! Taint this book with the evil incarnate! Curse this book with The Dark Arts!"

A strong gust of wind blew as the book opened on its own again and the pages flipped by. Black letters quickly began to emerge from the paper, which formed words. Archimedes could feel the power of Mezaryth beginning to fill the tome. Eventually the book reached the back cover. The spells were etched into the pages.

"So is that it?" The owl asked. "It's finished?"

The room was silent.

"Hello? Mezaryth, are you still here?"

Not a word was spoken. It seemed the mysterious demon didn't waste any time in leaving Earth and returning to his world.

Archimedes stood up from his seat. "And that's how The Forbidden Codex was born."

"…Wow…" was all Sally could say.

Lupe appeared to be in thought. "A demon…blood…suffering…I never would've thought a book would have such a dark origin." 

"Soo…then what?" Hugo asked. "You gave the book to the Ruler?"

"Seeing as he poisoned me, I had to. (cough! cough!) I returned to the Royal Capital and handed him the Forbidden Codex. He kept up his end of the bargain and gave me the antidote. The Ruler didn't hesitate in opening up that cursed book and reading its contents. He couldn't wait to flaunt his newly acquired power. Personally, I was disgusted with him. Just when I thought I knew him all these years, he does something like this. He puts my life on the line for his gain. I decided that I would have nothing to do with him anymore."

Sally scooted up in her chair. "What did you do?"

"I decided to leave Aliveria for good, and spend the rest of my days on the empty Earth. I would rather live my life alone than with a traitor. He can keep his city, his power, his glory. He is nothing to me now."

The owl paused for a few seconds, only to softly chuckle to himself.

"Heh. How ironic…that Aliveria was eventually destroyed by Cristine Sisytus, who used the very same power that The Ruler acquired. In the midst of the destruction the Codex had fallen down to Earth. Many years have passed before I had discovered it, washed ashore on a beach. It was clear that this book was dangerous in the hands of those who abused its power, so I put it back where I originally found it…in the underground ruins of Drood Henge. I created the seals and the traps that you had endure to get here, my apologies. I had to make sure not a single soul would be able to get in here and repeat a tragic mistake."

"Why not just destroy it?" Sally suggested. 

"Believe me. I've tried. The book is…indestructible." 

Meanwhile…in King Acorn's castle…

"Grraaghhh!" 

Sonic clenched his teeth together and fell to his knees in the Acorn throne room, wrapping his arms around himself to suppress that familiar hot, burning pain.

"Are you okay Sonic?" Tails asked, at his side.

"I'm fine…I'm fine…I'm getting used to this I think. The pain isn't as bad this time around."

Rotor prepared his medical kit. "Are you sure?" 

"Yeah Rote…I'm getting better. It's okay guys. I'm cool."

The hedgehog leapt back up to his feet without a problem.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and the Chaotix, Antoine, Bunnie, and Rotor stood before King Maximillian Acorn, who sat in his rightful place on the throne. All seven Etherals have been defeated. Now, their powers reside within Sonic. It was finally time. Time for the final assault upon New Aliveria.

"You can't possibly be serious." King Max said. "One hundred of the world's finest armed soldiers weren't enough for Cristine. What makes you think that you ten will fare better?"

"Sonic has the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds inside him. One hundred soldiers is just a drop in the bucket compared to the power that he has." Rotor answered.

Charmy leapt up. "Yep! And with Tails' super-cool flying, and Knuckles' strength, Rotor's brain, Antoine's swords and…"

"We're confident this time." Espio said. "We've underestimated Cristine before. We didn't know what to expect. We won't make that mistake again."

"Wise decision. Do you need any of my remaining soldiers to assist you for this final confrontation?" Max asked.

The echidna shook his head. "No. They're just a liability at this point. You guys just stay here and recover. We'll take care of Cristine."

"What particular plan of attack did you have in mind, Knuckles? I have no doubt that this venture to…New Aliveria…or Angel Island…whichever…will be met with fierce resistance."

"I talked about it with the guys. Our best bet is to enter the city from below. There's an entrance to a secret access tunnel integrated into the rock wall, on the very most southern tip of the island. A solid energy barrier will seal it, but only the guardian, me, will be able to open it. Tails will then pilot the Space Fox into it and ascend straight up. It will lead to the outskirts of the city." 

Vector crossed his arms and closed his eyes, listening to a somber tune in his headphones. Mighty crossed his arms as well and looked down, thinking…contemplating.

"…Are you sure you won't any assistance? I can contact Station Square and Down Unda if you wish. I'm sure they'll have something to offer."

A seemingly-taller Sonic stood on his tip-toes and stretched out. "Relax, your Kinglyness. We'll be cool."

"Besides." Tails added. "Station Square still needs to recover and rebuild from the two vicious attacks it endured. By the looks of things, your kingdom will need to recuperate as well."

"…Perhaps you're right, young fox. Sorry…but…I can't shake this feeling…this feeling that something terrible is about to happen." 

"Aww…" Bunnie grinned. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, muffin. Leave that to us."

"Once I…we…reduce her to ashes, we'll come here, pull out the champagne, and celebrate with you guys." Sonic said.

Tails gave his blue friend an odd look. "Champagne? I'm not old enough for that." 

"None of us are." Mighty snickered.

"You get the idea, little buddy."

Without another word, King Acorn stood up from his throne and casually walked down the grand room, still maintaining proper posture. A curious Sonic and the gang followed him. The sentries did not as much as blink as the royal squirrel passed them. He stopped on the drawbridge just outside the room, and looked up at the clear blue sky…the sea of trees…the singing swallows…the lake…

Antoine was trying to look at the same things he was. "…Monsieur Acorn?"

"…" 

"Monsieur Acorn?"

"Hmm…"

"Monsieur Maximillian Acorn?"

"Oh? …Sorry. Don't mind me. It's just that, in times of war, you tend to forget to appreciate the simpler things in life. I make it a habit to do this once a day. Just be grateful for what you have."

"And if we trash Cristine, we'll have all the time in the world to enjoy those simpler things." Sonic said with that confident smirk of his.

For just a split second, the hedgehog's eyes burned with an orange flame.

Sonic learned Force Break! A C-stick command. Use this and the hedgehog will be bathed in an orange glow for 20 seconds. During this time, attacking an enemy will emit an energy burst that will damage all nearby enemies. This consumes 40 percent of the Burst Meter.

"When are you guys planning on launching your offensive?"

"As soon as we get ourselves ready, we're ghosts." The hedgehog replied.

King Acorn still didn't move his eyes away from the scenery. "…So it is. Feel free to make whatever preparations you need before you head out."

"We will." Charmy nodded.

The King turned around and smiled at the young mobians. "I wish you all good luck. Be safe. All of you. We'll be here, waiting for the good news."

The ten of them looked at each other and gathered in a circle. They put their hands to the center in one big pile.

"You peeps ready? We're takin' down Cristine TODAY! Let's go out, kick some butt, save the world, and go home!" Sonic cheered.

"She's goin' down man!" Vector hollered.

"Cristine will be my biggest test yet…" Espio muttered.

"For zee Kingdom of Acorn! For zee world!"

"No one takes over my island. Cristine will pay for this."

"Leave it to me guys. I'll pilot the Space Fox to victory!"

Charmy fluttered up and down excitedly. "Woohoo! Let's go, let's go!"

Mighty was motivated. "She'll get what's coming to her, ten-fold." 

"Let's do it!" Sonic shouted.

"LET'S DO IT!"

_Adventure Field: King Max's Castle_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Here we go. You know the deal. Make sure you've done everything you needed to do before heading out for the last assault. The final trinkets are now available for purchase. They will be added to the original list from before.

Sonic:  
Restraint (700): Cost of Burst techniques reduced by 1/3.  
Etheral Trance (1000): A 40 percent chance that a Burst technique will cost 0 burst.

Tails:   
Pilot Mastery (650): Space Fox's overall performance is increased by 10.  
Target Plus (600): Enables up to 8 enemies to be targeted for homing shots.

Knuckles:  
Momentum (850): Attack power is increased if Burst meter is at least 50 percent.   
Iron Man (400): Stay in place when getting hit.

Antoine:   
Anticipation (700): Charge time for lethal impale technique is halved.  
Courage (750): A sword slash has a 20 percent chance of lowering enemy's attack power.

Nack:  
Tactical Mastery (800): Allows instant reloading.  
Evasion (350): Rolling distance and speed is increased.

Sally:  
EXP Plus (650): Points earned at stage's end increased by 50 percent.  
Willpower (500): Burst loss resulting from getting hit is reduced.

Once you make your preparations, go to the red marker in front of the Space Fox.

King Acorn and the remaining soldiers stood by and watched as Sonic and his friends walked up the ramp and into their awaiting ship. They waved to the Royal Army, and they returned the gesture with respectful salutes.

Tails took his usual spot in the pilot's seat. Sonic leapt down in the passenger's. Bunnie, Antoine, and Rotor took the back row. Knuckles, Espio, and Charmy sat in middle row. Vector and Mighty got comfortable in the front.

The fox buckled himself in and rested his hands on the wheel. He suddenly became quiet as he stared at the control panel for a few moments, and then sighed. Sonic turned to him.

"Are you okay, Tails?" 

"I'm fine. Just taking a moment to relax and clear my mind."

"Are you scared?"

"A little...well…maybe a lot."

"Scared of Cristine?" 

"Somewhat…but actually, to be truthful Sonic…" 

"Yeah?"

"I'm becoming more scared of you." 

The hedgehog was thrown for a bit of a loop. "…W…WHAT? Why?!"

"Ever since you and I reunited on this ship when we were stranded in the ocean, you were like a different person. You weren't Sonic, especially when you snapped at me. You've never done that before."

"C'mon now. You know that I have all that chaos energy running through me. It's making me a bit loopy." 

"I know it's not your fault, and that's what scares me. If…you're not in control of your own actions, then…you might…" 

"Tails. I would never hurt you. I would never hurt any of you guys…well except Knuckles. He's a jerk."

The echidna waved his fist. "Don't make me knock your ass out." 

"Seriously though. If it actually happens, then you all do whatever it takes to stop me. But I'm fine. I feel much better than before. I doubt it will happen anyway."

"Maybe you're right. But still…"

"It's understandable, little buddy. Shall we take off and go kick some butt?"

"We shall."

Tails flipped a few switches and the engines hummed to life. The weapons systems were back online. The Space Fox began to lift off the ground, swaying the trees and rippling the lake in the process. His Majesty and the soldiers remained in their respectful positions.

"Our final destination: Angel Island!" Tails announced. "Everyone hang on tight!"

The rear thrusters whirred into position and the vessel blasted forth to the sky. Everyone onboard looked out the windows and observed the moving scenery. They watched as Acorn's kingdom gradually vanished from sight.

King Acorn relinquished his salute and silently prayed for them. "(I wish all good luck. Please come back safe, for our world now depends on you.)"

The Space Fox was well on its way to Angel Island. The shining sun in the sky and the vast, glistening sea below gave the passengers a bit of hope.

"Once we get there, you're going to give to guide me on where this secret access tunnel is, Knuckles."

"I will, but remember to stay low. The further we go without getting detected, the better." 

The ship descended smoothly about 10,000 feet, perfectly parallel to the ocean. The trip had been mostly ordinary. Except for the constant hum of the engine and the wind outside, it was pretty quiet. The group mentally prepared themselves.

"Where's the rest of our crew?" Bunnie suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" 

"Sorry for that lil' outburst, but where's our other friends at? Bark, Bean, Amy, Nack, Shadow…"

"Well..." Mighty pondered. "Bark and Bean are at the South Pole according to Max. Amy's probably at home in Station Square. Nack decided to stay behind and work for Monterey. Shadow…I have no idea." 

"Yeah…It's a while since I saw him last." Knuckles added.

"Yeah…now that you mention it." The hedgehog replied. "Last time I saw Shadow was in that friendly duel I had with him back at Acorn's."

Vector leaned back in his seat. "You know how Shadow is. Likes to do things on his own.

"I wouldn't worry too much about him. He can take care of himself!" Charmy said.

"I hope so." The ninja muttered.

Shadow wouldn't be recognizable if you looked at him right now. The ultimate life form wore a dark violet hooded cloak that gloriously draped down to the floor, courtesy of that woman. He had the appearance of a druid. It covered his entire body, except for his mouth…which showed a neutral expression.

Outside New Aliveria's Royal Capital, the mind-controlled soldiers of G.U.N., Acorn, and Down Unda continued to patrol the grounds. Inside the Royal Capital's Throne Room, Cristine Sisytus has just about placed the finishing touches on the magic enchantment that will change the world. Her newest ally, Shadow, was a statue at her side.

The woman stood up and spoke the closing words of the hex…

"ANNHILIX DESTRUCT PROVIL BRELION MASITI! CAST THE WORLD IN DEATHLY GLOOM! INJECT THE POISON OF DESPAIR AND DOOM!"

A dark, pulsating cloud swirled around her hands. The air was rife with vile energy. The room became dimmer with each passing moment.

"ULIMA WRETIC HOMIVEN CRETOS XEROT! CURSE THEIR EXISTENCE WITH ETERNAL STRIFE! DRAIN THIS PLANET OF SOUL AND LIFE!"

The black cloud now engulfed the entire room. The slow beating of a heart slowly became audible. Howls of sadness echoed through the Royal Capital and beyond.

"Witness General Shadow. The Earth as we all know it will become an empty husk of its former self. All life will be erased. I cannot wait!"

The beating of the heart quickened in pace as the room was cast in pitch black. Cristine's eyes glowed red with malevolence, piercing through the darkness. Shadow didn't move.

"HEAR ME! ACKNOWLEDGE MY POWER! I PLACE UPON THIS WORLD THE CURSE 

Cristine Sisytus had done it. She actually had done it. The unthinkable. The unimaginable. All the darkness in the room gathered into a single orb, and it sank into the floor. The heartbeat stopped. The howls ended. The worldwide catastrophe was about to begin.

"Behold." 

Hundreds...thousands of black gargantuan roots, resembling tentacles, exploded from the underbelly of New Aliveria, bursting out from the rock walls. They had splashed down into the ocean with colossal impact. The worm-like lifeforms were miles long, and made utterly horrible shrieks. They zoomed forth in every direction across the globe, like striking snakes.

The seaside tropical village was the first to face its wrath. A resident lion cub was enjoying a nice day of fishing by the beach.

"My seventh fish today! I think that's a record!"

He had spotted something in the distance, coming fast.

The child stood up in a mix of curiosity and excitement. "Huh…what is that…is that a whale?" 

The barrage of black, snake-like roots blazed across the ocean's surface, and crashed right into the village and beyond. The creatures implanted themselves into the ground, instantly sucking the life from the area. It was mere seconds before everything there had faded into a dull gray. The homes, the trees, the sand, the people…all became motionless. Colorless. Cold.

The mobians aboard the Space Fox saw them too, and had scurried to the windows for a better look. The ship was only a few miles away from the island.

"What in the hell is THAT?!" Knuckles shouted. 

Tails remained steady at the controls and gained altitude. "I don't know, but they definitely look like trouble."

Sonic growled. "I bet it's Cristine's doing."

"No doubt about that." Knuckles agreed.

"Eww…" Charmy said. "That looks gross."

Mighty and Vector simply stared at it, while Antoine's right hand nervously gripped the Royal Sword's hilt.

"What do we do, suga-fox?"

"I can't say, Bunnie. Those root-like appendages pretty much destroyed the secret access tunnel. We'll have to get there via topside."

The Space Fox rose several thousand feet, but a violent bump rocked the ship. Everyone aboard had stumbled for a bit before coming to. A root shot from the ocean and latched itself to the bottom of the vessel. 

"We got company!" Espio warned.

Just as it was about to suck the life out of the Space Fox and its passengers, Sonic felt something take over him.

_"Protect your friends, Sonic!"_

Whether involuntary or not, the hedgehog pushed his right hand forward. A split-second blue orb of light surrounded the Space Fox, and the sheer force of it caused the root to squeal and release its grip. It fell back down into the ocean.

Knuckles looked at him. "I'm not even going to ask what you just did, I'm just glad you did it. You saved our asses. Again."

"Uhh…thanks." 

"We got more company." Tails announced.

Four more of those deadly roots jetted up from the sea and surrounded the Space Fox. The tips of the roots split open, revealing huge mouths with jagged teeth lined all around them. Swarms of large dragonfly-like creatures emerged from their orifices. Loud buzzing soon blared through the air.

Charmy stuck out his tongue. "EWW to the second level!"

"There must be hundreds of those things." Rotor said.

"Hey Sonic." Bunnie smiled. "Think you can do that again?"

"Do what again?"

"…Never mind."

"I hate bugs…" Antoine muttered.

Tails made sure the weapons systems were in check. "Whoa…looks like I'll just have to take them out the old fashioned way. Hang tight people!"

The Space Fox increased its speed and its ion cannons clicked into position.

_Stage M: Aerial Assault_ (Player: **Tails**)   
Mission: Destroy the roots.  
As the young fox, your piloting will be put to the test. The four roots will move around above the surface of the ocean, ascending and descending. They'll spit out new swarms of dragonflies every so often. The only time that a root is vulnerable is when it opens its mouth, so shoot it repeatedly when it does. These tentacle-like creatures are durable, so it might take a while. They will whip the Space Fox if you stay too close for too long, so stick and move. Don't ignore the dragonflies. Swarms of them will crowd the battlefield, and will shoot you with acidic needles periodically. Evade or use your plasma shield. Since the dragonflies are produced on a regular basis, make it a point to blast some from time to time. They can overpower your ship if you choose to ignore them for too long. Note that there are two types of these insects. Large blue ones and the smaller green ones. The greens are easily dispatched with a few shots, but the blues take a bit more work. An energy shield protects these big boys. Simply shooting them with regular shots won't work. They'll be deflected. Charge up your beam cannons first with the Y button and let them have it. The shield will be destroyed and you can now finish them off. When you successfully shoot a root enough times, it will squeal and become weakened. Don't be fooled though. It will perform a last ditch attack and trap the Space Fox in its mouth, immobilizing it. The view will now switch to first-person. Aim the target reticle with the analog stick and shoot at its teeth. Destroy enough teeth and the worm will release you. Be quick about it though. The longer you take the more damage you'll sustain. Now that you're free, make haste and destroy it. It will sink back down into the ocean. Repeat the process with the 3 other roots. Remember to stop occasionally to destroy some insects, to keep their numbers from getting too high. Complete the stage by eliminating all four roots.

The last of the roots sank back underneath the surface. It seemed the immediate threat was over, for now…

"Guys still alive back there?" Tails asked.

Sonic playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Still alive and kickin'. Nice flying."

"Darlins…I wouldn't celebrate just yet." Bunnie told them, pointing out the window.

More tentacles/roots arose from the water like weeds, at least twenty. The area around the Space Fox suddenly became a biiiit smaller…

Mighty's mouth gaped open. "Ooh boy…" 

"Tails…" Knuckles said. "We should…just retreat…right now."

"Yeah…"

Without delay, he increased the throttle and pushed the wheel forward. The ship zoomed ahead with a burst of speed, but the roots promptly gave chase. Tails pressed on the wheel as hard as he could. But no matter what he did, the roots kept gaining on them. The distance between the ship and their pursuers quickly shortened.

"I can't shake 'em! They're just too fast!"

One root smacked right into the roof of the ship, effectively reducing its altitude. Tails tried to go back up, but the Space Fox was struck on the starboard side. The force of the blow sent it flying in another direction. 

"Waaaaaaah!" Charmy and Antoine screamed.

Multiple strikes onto the port side, the back, and the nose, had the ship careening out of control. There were simply too many, and simply too fast. Large dents marked the entire body of the Space Fox.

"(She can't take too much more of this.)" Tails thought.

A piercing strike through the hull of the ship didn't help matters. 

"MALFUNCTION. MALFUNCTION. CRITICAL DAMAGE TO PRIMARY ENGINES. RUNNING ON SECONDARY SUPPLY. POWER OUTPUT ONLY CAPABLE OF 60."

The fox couldn't keep the ship steady, and it gradually began a nosedive…

"Looks like we'll have to make an emergency landing." He informed the team.

"Where?" Antoine asked.

"I don't know. Whereever I find one, and quick. This ship can't stay up."

They were only at 5,000 feet, and Tails spotted an empty field out of the corner of his eye. 

"We're going to land in that field! Buckle up! Grab on to something!"

Sonic and the others obeyed his orders. They were in their seats, tightly holding on to the armrests.

Just as Tails adjusted the landing angle, a root pushed the vessel forth and made it spin out of control.

"WHOOOOOAAAAAA!" 

"AHHHHHH!"

Down to the planet the Space Fox went, and it collided with the ground with a crushing impact…

The Annhilation of Earth was at hand. Cristine's ultimate Ace in the hole, the Ruination spell, was in full effect. The undiscriminating appendages stormed the globe, sucking the life from whatever was in its way, and that was the entire planet. There was nowhere to hide from its 360 degree radius of Death. Existence will be "cleansed". 

In the South Pole, Bark and Bean were rebuilding the polar bear's thrashed hut. They never knew what hit them. The barrage of roots stormed through the powdered fields and through the mountains. The duck and polar bear didn't realize until it was too late. They were buried underneath the wave of roots, drained of their color and life instaneously. Gray. Motionless.

The land of Down Unda was nothing more than a barren land…covered in those cursed roots. The citizens were frozen in place, void of life. Monochrome. Those creatures have crept into every nook and cranny.

Jack Rabbit and his posse in Sandblast City did all they could to rally the inhibitants to safety. Those tentacles crawled over the town's perimeter wall and spread their foul disease. It was only a matter of moments before their downfall.

Despite Nack's, Monterey's, and his army of felines' fierce opposition, they were only delaying the inevitable. Those roots snaked through the city, leaving no stone unturned. It rushed through the front gate and rose up into a giant wave, which crashed down upon the mansion, the weasel and his employer. They have disappeared underneath the carnage, and have ceased to move ever since.

"NO! MR. PRESIDENT! WHAT DO WE DO?!"

The leader of Station Square didn't even put up a fight. Why even bother? The city had fallen. The streets and buildings were choked with these abominable beings. G.U.N. and the citizens were statues. Mr. President, his assistant, and Rouge huddled together in the oval office fearing for their lives. The roots seeped through the walls and vents. They had entered their room, and it crept toward them…

"URAAGGGGH!"

Amy's tears froze on her face. She was stuck in a running motion on the sidewalk. Station Square was but a dull empty shell.

You had to admire Acorn's bravery. He and the soldiers fought against the defiled roots with their swords in the Throne Room, quite valiantly. 

"FIGHT! IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER. FOR ACORN!" 

"FOR ACORN!"

But it was too much, and it was too late. Max and the guards had come in contact, the roots had crawled all over them. King Acorn's castle, Knothole, and beyond were suffocated to their demise. A toneless land as far as the eye can see.

Even the underground wasn't safe. Down in the Drood Henge ruins, Archimedes, Sally, Lupe, and the Wolfpack had met the same fate. The deathly curse had claimed them as well. The walls, floor, and ceiling were throbbing with those life forms.

In less than an hour, Planet Earth had become a grim, cold world of death. Everything had been ruined. The roots had spread all over the world, spreading their pestilence. The humans, the plants, the mobians, the water, the animals, the sky…everything had been affected. All were depleted of their life, their color, their motion. It was as though time had frozen. Stopped. A lonely, howling wind blew across the lands…as if it acknowledged what had happened. Cristine Sisytus did what Robotnik had never been able to do: Send the world into ruin.

But New Aliveria remained full of life and vigor. The island's brisk color was a stark contrast to the plain, monochrome planet below.

Cristine Sisytus had accomplished her most awesome feat yet. She sat back in her throne, sipping on wine and laughing out loud. The woman decided it was time to celebrate, and lived it up. The cloaked Shadow didn't reveal any particular emotion, and simply stood there in the same spot.

"Yes. YES. YES!! I've done it! I've finally done it! Observe the world, General Shadow! A magnificent testament to my ultimate power! Ahh…yes…this really takes me back…"

She leaned back into her posh, decorated seat. "New Aliveria is flourishing, while the Earth is as dead as a doornail…just like it was 12,000 years ago... It's like I've gone back in time…only that **I** run things this time around. And you know what the best part out of all this is, General Shadow?"

No response.

"Mach and his little friends are DONE. FINISHED. DEAD. Not even an Etheral could survive Ruination. The only real threat to me is gone! I rule this world now!"

Cristine ecstatically poured herself another glass of wine.

**"MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"**

On the shore of some unknown beach, Sonic, Tails, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Knuckles, Vector, Espio, Charmy, and Mighty lied still in the sand, knocked out cold from the hard landing. The flaming wreckage beside them was what was left of the Space Fox.

One would assume that these ten mobians were sucked of their life, cold and gray. But they weren't. Although Sonic was asleep, a tiny bead of blue light glowed in rhythm from his chest. Everytime his heart beat, the blue light formed a radiant dome that surrounded him and his friends. It spread 50 yards wide…and somehow it protected them. 

Antoine, Mighty, and Rotor were already up. Tails was busy inspecting the Space Fox. Minutes…and eventually hours passed…before the rest of the mobians had awakened.

Knuckles and Vector rubbed their heads, trying to phase out the pain. "Ohh…man…"

Bunnie grumbled as she sat up, feeling the sand in her right paw. Sonic jumped up to his feet with a sour expression. Charmy and Espio looked around with half-dazed looks on their faces.

The hedgehog looked around. "Is everyone alright?"

Half answered "Yeah…" The other half answered with groans.

"What the HELL…!" Knuckles asked, noticing their now-bleak surroundings.

The roots had spread through everything. They were still pulsing…breathing. It's a new world.

"From what Rotor and I could tell…" Tails replied. "Those roots that attacked us might have something to do with this."

Charmy gazed out toward the ocean. "So…is this…is this it? The world's dead…? Cristine won…?"

The crew glanced toward the ground. As far as the eye can see, a depressing tone. By the way things are now; the young bee's words may not be so far from the truth.

"I hate to say it, but…" Vector sighed. "Maybe Charms is right. Look around us, man. Everything's gone to hell. I mean…why try anymore? We're supposed to stop Cristine from destroying the world, and guess what happened. SHE DESTROYED THE WORLD."

Knuckles simply stared at the crocodile, with a plain look on his face. "Vector…I'm disappointed in you."

"What? What do ya mean?" 

"You're the last person I would imagine saying that. So…you're saying you just gonna give up? Just like that?" 

"You can't really blame Vector, Knux." Espio interjected. "It's not the most flattering of situations right now."

"Espio. Don't tell me you're…"

"I'm just stating what I felt, that's all."

Vector shook his head. "I'm not saying that but, what can we possibly do now? The ship's busted, Angel Island is way up there, and we're way down here. The root things are everywhere. As far as I know, everyone else kicked the bucket. You gotta admit Knux, we're at the end of our rope here."

"…King Acorn…Mr. President…Bark…Bean…Amy…everyone…no…they're all…no…" Charmy said to himself, feeling sadder by the minute.

Bunnie hugged the bee and patted him on the head. "It's okay…" 

"True." Knux said. "But sitting here worrying about it isn't going to accomplish anything. We'll find a way to get up there. Don't know how, but we will. That bitch has done something unforgivable. It might be too late for Earth, but we're gonna make damn sure she's not getting away with it. She will be punished for her crimes."

Everyone felt a little better…only a little. It's not quite over yet.

"…Maybe you're right, Knux." 

"Heh. I know I'm right, Vector."

The echidna and croc connected with friendly fists.

"Ship's not looking too good, Tails." Mighty noted. "Do you think you can fix it?"

"I doubt it. It's totaled. Just about everything is shot."

Bunnie shook her head and looked in the distance. "Mah stars…the world is so cold…so gray…"

"That crazy Cristine broad…" Vector muttered.

Espio hissed. "Yeah."

"Sacre Bleu…theez eez horrible. Everyzing is dull and blah. Dastardly roots are everywhair. How do we get to zat evil madamosielle now?"

"I wish I knew, my lil' 'yote..."

"Hey Sonic…" Mighty asked. "What's with that light coming from your chest? I'm seeing this shield covering us."

"I dunno…I'm guessing it's the Etherals doing their thing to help us out. Have you noticed that we're still in color, but everything else isn't?"

It was an interesting observation.

Knuckles nodded. "Yeah…I think if it wasn't for you and the Etherals, we would've been in black and white and dead all over."

"The sun is beginning to set. It's going to get dark soon." Espio stated. "We'll need to set up camp. Perhaps we can discuss what we can do next." 

"Good idea." Sonic said.

"The Chaotix and I will gather some firewood."

The two-tailed fox rummaged through the ship's emergency containers. "I think we have some food stashed."

Rotor reminded everyone. "Remember guys, don't stray too far away from Sonic. His shield is what's keeping us alive right now."

"(Hmph…and Sonic saves our butts yet again.)" Knuckles thought

"Gotcha."

"Alrighty." 

"We won't forget."

Sonic stayed at the beach while everyone else scattered to do their own agendas.

Night had fallen, and the mobians gathered around a roaring campire. What a day it has been, one that nobody will soon forget. Oddly enough, the flames weren't in color. Everyone had relaxed with a popular pastime, hot and gooey smores.

Sonic had one in each hand, happily munching them down. "Mmm hmm! I don't remember the last time I had these! These are great!"

Espio stacked three marshmallows on his roasting stick. "Yeah…it's been years." 

"Owowowow!" Antoine yelled. He burned his mouth. "These are hot!"

"Hee hee…you gotta let 'em cool down, silly Twan."

Mighty and Vector were competing in another bout of rock, paper, scissors. Best 2 out of 3. The wager was two smores. 

"Rock!" "Rock!"

"Scissors!" "Scissors!" 

"Rock!" "Rock!"

"Paper!" "Paper!" 

"You're good!" "You're good!"

"Are you reading my mind?" "Are you reading my mind?"

"Stop copying me!" "Stop copying me!"

"Shut up!" "Shut up!"

Knuckles had a mouthful. "So…chew! anyone have any idea how crunch! we're gonna get up to Angel Island? munch!"

"Well…" Rotor hummed. "The Space Fox is out of the question, obviously."

"We could try lookeeng for another ship." Antoine suggested.

Sonic tossed a log into the bonfire. "Out in the dead world? Good luck. We don't even know where the heck we are right now."

"Yeah…and even if we do find another ship out there, chances are that it's inoperable." Knuckles said.

Bunnie twitched her nose. "Soo…are we pretty much stuck here?"

"I dunno. We'll have to search this land tomorrow, first thing in the morning." Sonic replied.

"Search…this land? Is that really a good idea? Can't we…just stay here? What if we get…"

"Well Charmy, did you plan on staying here on this beach for the rest of your life? Relaaaax. As long as you all stay inside my shield, we're safe."

"I hope so."

"Just stick close to me." 

Tails yawned. Sleep was calling him. "Well…I'm going to turn in. I'm tuckered out. G'night you guys."

"G'night Tails."

"G'night little buddy."

The fox tucked himself in one of the several tents set up throughout the beach.

"I think I'll get some shut-eye myself." Mighty commented. He went off and entered a tent that was next to Tails. 

Within a couple of hours, the rest of the mobians had retired to their separate tents. At first it was unsettling to be on the beach and not hear waves crashing to shore, but they quickly accustomed to it. The night continued on safely, as Sonic's shield kept death at bay.

It was 3am when Sonic's stomach started rumbling loudly. Sharp pain began to puncture into his gut, and he woke up in a snap.

"Urrrr….?" He grunted as he sat up. "Man…my stomach…I shouldn't have had all those smores…" 

The hedgehog crawled out of his tent and limped down the beach. That familiar sensation began to take over him. Two conflicting forces clashing within his body. Sonic was so happy…yet he wanted to cry his eyes out. He was ready to live life to the fullest…yet he wanted to crawl in a hole and die. It seemed like one of the forces were about to physically manifest itself through Sonic…

"ARGGGGGH! I'M HOT! I'M HOT! I'M HOOOOOOT!" 

The hedgehog fell onto his hands and knees, shaking uncontrollably. The fangs appeared again, his eyes changed to a blazing orange. Sonic looked in fright as monstrous claws ripped through the fingers of his gloves. His tail lengthened to a couple feet, and his quills stood out in full attention. Sonic cried out in agony as his body underwent the changes.

"AHHHHHHH! OH GOD! IT HURTS! **IT HURTS!**"

Sonic threw his head into the sand, clutching it tightly with both hands, doing his best to block out the horrible pain. His body buckled under the muscle increase it received. A small flame appeared in the center of his chest. The flame spread through his arms and legs, head, back, everywhere. The tip of his tail was a bright flare. The fire had changed Sonic's color. The hedgehog wasn't blue anymore; he was a burning crimson red.

Sonic turned around like a deer in headlights and saw that all of his friends were wide awake, and stared at him.

"What in the…" Mighty muttered.

"Eep! Soneek eez a demon! Soneek eez a demon! I told you! I told you!" 

"…S…Sonic?" Tails stammered. "What's…happened to you?"

The hedgehog's physical appearance wasn't the only thing that has transformed; his mentality was also warped as well. And there was only one thing on his mind now.

Kill. Murder. Blood.

Sonic roared like a lion as he leapt high through the air and tackled Knuckles to the ground.

"HEY! Get off me you moron!"

The hedgehog snarled as he tried to go for the jugular. Sonic tried to sink his fangs in and rip his throat out, but well-placed punches kept him away. Knuckles moved his head to dodge a deadly swipe of the claw.

"Get off him, man!"

"Stop it Sonic!"

"Calm down!" 

"What's with you?!"

Everyone else had bunched in and tried to pull Sonic off Knuckles, but the hedgehog pushed them all back with raw power. They all flew back several yards. Knuckles gave Sonic a good knee in the breadbasket, and drove him away with a vicious left hook. Now having breathing room, the guardian stood up and put up his dukes.

Sonic got down on all fours and growled at him. His flaming tail swished back and forth in eagerness. He and Knuckles circled around the beach, keeping careful distance of each other. The mobians kept back, they weren't sure of what to expect. The hedgehog's claws left big marks in the sand.

"So…the emeralds have finally taken their toll on you, eh?"

"Grrrr…." 

"We're fighting yet again. Bring backs memories, doesn't it Sonic?"

A low growl.

"Hey Knuckles!" Tails yelled.

"What is it?"

"Keep him busy for a little bit. I think I have an idea."

"I hope it's a good one."

"It is. Don't try to beat each other up too bad until then."

"Heh…can't guarantee that." 

Tails ran toward the wrecked Space Fox as the two opponents steadily became closer. Espio, Mighty, Vector, Antoine, Bunnie, Charmy, and Rotor simply watched.

_Boss: Sonic – Fury Form_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
Now this is something. As you can see, our favorite hedgehog isn't quite himself. This boss battle on the beach is simple and straightforward. As the echidna, you won't need to kill him of course. Just wear him down. The first 30 seconds of the fight will have you inputting button commands that appear onscreen. A cutscene will show Sonic and Knuckles in a scripted fight. When a button command appears (ex. X, Y, left, L, right), promptly enter it. You only have a short time. If you get it right, the fight continues. If you're wrong, Sonic will tackle Knuckles to the ground and kill him. You'll lose a life. A total of 6 button sets will have to be completed before the first 30 seconds are up, and then you'll gain full control of Knuckles. There are no rings here…or anywhere. Cristine's Ruination spell had obliterated them all from this world. Careful not to get hit. Sonic will try to rush you with several swipes. Keep moving and you'll be fine. Strike him from behind with combos when you get the opportunity. Whenever the hedgehog leaps high into the air for a pounce attack, wait until he comes down toward you…then clock him with an uppercut for good damage. When you whittle Sonic's life bar to half, he'll produce a flame shield. You can't touch him. To get rid of the fire barrier, lure the hedgehog toward the water at the edge of the beach. It'll put it out. Now you can proceed to put more hurt on him. Watch out though, he'll make another flame shield after a short while. Repeat the process. When Sonic's life bar is down to 1/4, he'll prepare one final attack. He'll crouch down and charge up some energy, and then unleash a split-second burst of combustion that will engulf the entire beach. No safe spot. There's no way to avoid it…or is there? Watch closely. Just after Sonic pushes his hands forward to release the attack, jump up and use your dig command to bury yourself under the sand. The inferno will harmlessly pass over you. Now rush in and pummel him while he's open. Win this battle by reducing Sonic's life bar to 0.

The red Sonic was down on one knee, partially exhausted. Knuckles watched him carefully with his fists ready.

"Tails, what are you doing? Hurry up!" The echidna shouted.

"I'm comin'! I'm comin'!" 

The fox emerged from the ship with a hypodermic needle filled with blue liquid. "Everybody, hold him down! I'll give him a shot of this."

"What is it?"

"Tranquilizer. A double dose. Now hold him."

Everyone did as Tails instructed. They dogpiled onto the weakened Sonic and held him face-first into the sand. He was growling and snarling, but he wasn't getting going anywhere.

"Sorry Sonic…" Tails whispered. He gently injected the needle into the back of his neck, and pumped the blue sedative into his blood.

They continued to hold him down for a few minutes, until it began to take effect. Sonic began to drool and barely moved. It wasn't long before he was fast asleep. 

Sonic had awoken several hours later, where it was close to noon. His body had reverted back to its normal blue self. The hedgehog stretched out and yawned, and had a spring in his step as he got to a vertical base. He looked toward the other side of the beach and noticed his friends eating smores…and staring at him. 

"Uhh…Good morning guys. What's up?"

"…Hey." A few them uttered. The rest of them were afraid to look at him. 

The blue blur walked toward his crew. "You guys look bummed. Something wrong?"

Except for the chewing of food, there wasn't really much of a sound.

"Okay…"

An upbeat Sonic casually took a seat among the rest of his comrades and began roasting a marshmallow.

"I just can't enough of these smores. I could live off these."

Still, they said nothing.

Sonic put down his snack and crossed his arms. He looked at them, but they didn't look at him. Something was definitely amiss.

"Okay guys. What's going on. Why the silent treatment."

The way Knuckles glared at the hedgehog could melt ice. "Sonic, do you…even remember what happened last night?"

"Umm…I remember going to sleep in the tent, then waking up with a really bad stomachache. That's about it. Why?"

"Well Sonic…this may come as a shock to you but…" 

"?"

"You tried to kill me."

"Whaa? Get outta here!"

"It's true. Everyone here saw you. You changed into some kind of crazy beast, and then you jumped on me and tried to kill me."

"No way! That can't be true. Right guys?"

"…"

"Bunnie! He's joking, right?" 

"…"

"Vector? Mighty? …Ant?"

"…" 

"C'mon Tails. My buddy. He's just joshin' me…right?" 

"…"

"Tails?"

"…Sorry." 

Sonic looked down toward the sand and suddenly lost his appetite. He now noticed the holes in his gloves, from where his claws had punctured them. "…Oh. Wow…I…I…really did…change? Into something bad?"

"Yeah."

"…And…I…really did try to kill you? …No joke?"

"You sure as hell weren't trying to give me a hug."

"Oh…"

"Tails had to inject some tranquilizer into your neck to calm you down." 

"…I…I see…"

Sonic had never felt so guilty in his life. He tried to kill a close friend, and he didn't even remember it.

Tails could sense his guilt, so he walked over and sat beside him. The fox gave him a good pat on the back. "It's not your fault Sonic. Remember?"

"I know little buddy, I know. But still…"

"Don't take it so hard. We all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. You said so yourself." Knuckles said.

"Yeah…but what if it happens again? What if I change again?"

"Then I'll gladly kick your ass again. Tails has a supply of tranquilizers on hand just in case." 

"…"

"Don't worry so much. As long as we're all here, we won't let anything happen. Besides, Cristine Sisytus is the main objective. She's the reason for this crappy planet we live in now. We need to concentrate on getting to her first." 

Sonic felt a little weight lifted off his shoulders, and he stood up. "…I guess you're right. Thanks guys. All of you." 

"That's what friends are for, man." Vector grinned. 

Antoine stood up as well and gave Sonic a salute. "We weel stick with you to zee end, mon ami."

"That's right muffin. We'll be at your side no matter what."

"Best buds forever?" Tails asked, offering a high-five.

He took the offer. "Best buds forever."

The crew closed in and gave Sonic a group noogie. The fists of Knuckles, Mighty, Antoine, Charmy, Bunnie, Rotor, Espio, Tails, and Vector rubbed his head. 

"Ah! You guys! C'mon! Cut it out! Geez!"

Once they were done harassing him, Sonic gulped down one last smore and stretched himself out once again. No sense staying here any longer. It was time to leave the beach. Find a way out of here.

"Alright fellas. Now that we have that squared away, let's set out. We're going to explore this land. I don't know what we'll find out there, but it can't be much worse than here. See those mountains up north in the distance?" Sonic pointed.

They saw it and nodded, snow-capped peak and all. "We see them."

"We're gonna go over that and see what's on the other side. Is everyone ready?"

"Ready."

"Let's roll."

The fox placed a few tranquilizer darts in Rotor's medical kit, just in case. Everyone seemed ready and rarin' to leave.

"Let's go. Stick close. Don't go outside my shield."

The hedgehog and the gang headed north and hauled tail, leaving behind the wreckage of the Space Fox. Tails took one last look at the ship, not soon forgetting the invaluable service it had done for them. He uttered two words to the vessel before it became out of sight. 

"Thank you…"

The clique had entered a jungle, just as colorless as the rest.

_Stage N: Radical Run_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Get over the mountain.  
It's a new world, a different world. Just as you would've guessed, it's cold and gray here just like the rest of the planet. There's no music here, just the lonely howls of the winds. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy classic Sonic gameplay. The first part of the stage takes place in the jungle. Note that there are no rings in this stage, as they were destroyed yesterday. You'll find the occasional shield power-up monitor, but other than that you're out of luck. Be very careful. You'll rush through the forest via loops and twisting speedways. Climb vines and run across the treetops. You can hop on the edge of branches and use them as springs. Use your homing attack on trees to knock them over, to form bridges across wide chasms. Spindash into tree holes to launch yourself high into the sky. Watch out for the roots that have taken over this area. They will try to swallow you if get too close. Instant death follows. There are multiple paths, so find another route to get around them. Those pesky dragonflies are here too. These puppies like to move in groups, so your new Force Break will come in handy. Dodge their projectile needles and waste them. Reach the base of the mountain to begin the second half of the stage. Things will get more dangerous as you blaze up the mountain path. Run onto glowing speed pads to dash up steep inclines. Keep your eyes up for falling rocks. Jump across rivers via floating platforms, which sink upon contact. Be swift. Some of the power-up monitors in this stage are trapped in ice blocks. You'll need the flame shield to melt the ice and grab the goodie inside. Spindash into cracks in the walls to discover hidden passageways. Yes, those roots are here. The dragonflies too. You'll need to rail-grind on the roots to reach other areas of the stage. When you reach the summit of the mountain, Sonic will automatically ride on a snowboard for some downhill fun. Weave around the trees and dragonflies. Launch yourself off ramps for some big air. Time to show your stuff. Use the L & R buttons, analog stick, B, and A buttons to perform tricks. The more complicated the trick, the more points will be accumulated. Try to chain tricks together for bonus multipliers. Make sure you make a safe landing for those points to count. Landing on your face will negate those points. Complete the stage by getting to the bottom.

Sonic reached the base of the mountain, but kept on going into another forest. He held his friends' hands so they could keep up with him. The hedgehog zigzagged around the trees and roots with ease. The landscape was but a blur. 

"Where're you going Sonic?" Tails asked.

They left the forest and entered a meadow. He kept up the frenetic pace through the land, showing no signs of slowing down. As they traveled, the grass below them eventually turned to rock. Sonic and the gang were now in a gorge.

"Soneek? Where are we?"

He wall jumped from one canyon wall to another, dashed down the hill, leapt through the air, and shot like a bullet through the terrain. 

"Yo Sonic! You plan on stopping anytime soon?!" Vector shouted.

Either Sonic ignored him or couldn't hear him, because he kept running. Everything around them was so dreary, so depressing, like they were running through an old, faded photograph. 

"Sugah-hog!"

Sonic stopped shortly afterwards. They were standing on a cliff overlooking the water. They had reached the other side of the mysterious land.

"Oh…he'll listen to YOU, though?" Knuckles asked Bunnie.

"No no…" the hedgehog told them. "Look."

Sonic pointed straight ahead toward the water and everyone's eyes followed suit. There it was, only a handful of miles away, their main objective. The colorful, floating island was several miles above the ocean. A slew of those twisting, turning roots ran from the lower tip of the island, all the way down into the sea. From their perspective, New Aliveria represented a giant tree.

Knuckles took a few steps forward. "Angel Island…alright…that Cristine is going to get it. Can't wait to wrap my hands around her scrawny little neck…"

"How did you know this was here, Sonic? You seemed to know your way around this place." Tails asked.

"Ehh…instinct I guess." 

"So…" Espio said. "How do we get up there?"

"We can swim to the island!" Charmy exclaimed.

Vector changed the batteries in his walkman. "I don't think that would work." 

"Man. I miss the Space Fox already..." Tails sighed. 

"Wait." Sonic told them. "I have an idea."

The hedgehog…with another idea? This was unusual. Nontheless, they were all ears.

"We're gonna build a raft."

"…Huh?" 

"We're gonna build a huge raft. I'll act as the motor and push it across while you guys ride on it."

"But how in the hoo-hah are we gonna build one?"

"Easy peasy. Knuckles, Mighty, and I will work on supplying the wood. Somebody else can nab some seaweed from the ocean. We'll use it to tie the trees together and form a raft."

"Sounds good…but…what if those things attack us while we cross the ocean?"

"C'mon now, Mighty. I'm the fastest thing alive. As long as I'm pushing the raft, they won't catch us."

"Okay. Let's say we make it to the island. But we're gonna have to actually climb those tentacle things to get to the city itself."

He snickered. "Climb? Surely you jest. You guys just hold my hand real tight and I'll RUN up those suckers. We'll be there in no time." 

Knuckles crossed his arms. "Heh. Easier said than done. You sure are pretty confident in yourself."

"I know we can do it. If you got something better in mind, share it."

"Actually…it might be crazy enough to work. We're fresh outta options at this point. We'll take anything we can get."

"Where zee heck did you come up with zat idea anyway?"

"I was thinking about it as I ran."

"You? Think? Now that's an oxymoron."

"Quiet, Knucklehead. Now…shall we get this little plan in motion?"

Soon all the mobians had went to work. The project was underway. Knuckles and Mighty began to punch down the first tree. Sonic waited for them. Bunnie, Antoine, and Vector started gathering seaweed near the cliff's end. The echidna and armadillo used their punches to knock more trees down.

Espio, Charmy, Rotor, and Tails waited for the first supply of tree trunks and seaweed to come their way, so they could tie them together.

The day went on like clockwork. Knuckles and Mighty would knock down the trees, the hedgehog would spin-dash them down to a suitable size, seaweed would be brought from the water. The fox, bee, walrus, and chameleon would tie them all together.

A few hours later… 

"And We. Are. Done!"

The high-noon sun was shining. Before the posse was a surprisingly sturdy 16 by 16 foot raft, created by their dedication and teamwork. Rows of finely sculpted wood bound together by triple-knot, dried-out seaweed. It might not look like much, but this raft would be their one-way ticket to New Aliveria.

Sonic admired their handiwork. "Not bad at all…not bad at all. We did good."

"Hmm…so we're gonna be riding in this thing eh?" Knuckles smirked.

"Oui. All zee way to zee floating city."

"Finally…" Espio spoke. "We'll be able to settle this once and for all." 

"So…is everyone ready to go? Once we set out, there's no turning back. This is gonna be our last stand." Sonic announced. 

There were no second thoughts. They were ready.

"Then let's go."

The ten surrounded the raft and lifted it up with ease. They carried it through the path leading down through the cliffs. Once they reached the bottom, they set it down on the shore, only a few feet away from the water.

"Hop on guys. I'll lead us there. Don't worry."

The mobians climbed on and took their seats. Sonic stood behind the raft and pushed it into the water. The hedgehog spun his legs like propellers, and they were soon blazing across the ocean. New Aliveria, here they come.

Heavy opposition soon came their way, naturally. Those massive tentacles/roots rose up from the ocean, several stories tall.

The crew looked up. "Uh oh…"

Sonic dashed forth to dodge the first attacks from his left and right side.

"Hold on tight guys!" Sonic shouted.

They laid low and clutched on to the raft as best they could.

The Etheral weaved right to avoid getting swatted, and then left to evade another. Sonic was swift like the wind. He wasn't caught so easily. The hedgehog made a sharp left turn to get around a wall of roots that emerged. 

"Ha…too easy…WHOA!"

Another one thrust up from below the surface, ramming Sonic and the raft high into the air. 

"Ahhhhh!"

"Whooooo!"

"YIPES!" 

The blue blur and his friends never lost their grip on the raft. Sonic air-dashed forward for some serious hang time. They landed back on the water safely, and he never lost momentum. New Aliveria was now within two miles away.

"Almost there! You all okay?"

"Sacre Bleu! Theez eez crazy!"

"We're still alive…that's good." Mighty replied.

The rest of the crew seemed to be intact, more or less. Another one from their 12 o' clock position aimed to come crashing down on them. Sonic realized he wasn't going to make it, so he stopped.

Vector hollered. "Dawg! Don't stop!"

Sonic waited until it smashed right down into the ocean, and then he revved up his legs again. Pushing the raft along, he ran up the root as if it were a ramp. He reached the top and made another leap of faith, just barely dodging another swipe from below. He landed on the surface and kept going.

"IT'S GO TIME!"

Sonic shifted into high gear and burst forward with unprecedented speed. Those creatures didn't have a chance at catching up with them now. The water split apart in the hedgehog's wake.

Tails pointed forward. "Hey Sonic! We're here!"

Sonic stopped in his tracks. For some strange reason, those roots backed off when the mobian gang reached the "trunk" of the New Aliveria tree. It was a massive, dreadful pillar of those twisting, tangling…products of Cristine Sisytus' magic, leading all the way up to their ultimate goal.

A few looked up with a face of purpose, a few others with a hint of hesitation, but all of them were stunned at the long climb that they would have to undertake.

"And to think…Cristine's waiting fer us at the top…" Bunnie commented.

Sonic cracked his knuckles. "Yeah…it's almost time..."

"Uh…" Charmy stuck out his tongue. "We actually have to…touch…that stuff?"

"Yeah…you might." Knuckles added, and then quickly turned his head. "Hold it…what's that noise…"

A rumbling sound from the pillar of roots grabbed their attention, eyes and ears now focused on it. They held still and listened for it again.

"…?"

Another rumbling…louder this time…and the wall of roots made gurgling noises. A split was formed down the middle.

"What…"

Emerging from the split was something unusual. It was a dark little imp, with a long pointed tail, glowing red eyes, tiny wings, and a glowing blue spear was held in his hands.

"eocvmghspeu qpmruvhdjso audnghrkwo jitmxbzsdl!"

It rapidly circled them from above, and spoke in complete gibberish.

Rotor kept his eye on it. "What is that…and what is it saying?"

"The hell should I know?" Knuckles answered. "But it looks like it wants to fight us."

He was right. The little imp spoke another line of unintelligible language and its blue spear sparked brightly. He thrust the weapon forward and unleashed a shot of energy, which sped toward the raft. 

"GET OFF!"

All of the mobians jumped off, and the blue energy crackled with sparks upon hitting the raft, but didn't destroy it. It remained the same. Who knows what effect that shot would've had on a living being, but the crew wasn't planning on finding out.

"ptnibodklrhvb ziembosgj hoptyrembe aqweefrtlo!"

Knuckles swam underneath the surface for a few moments, and then resurfaced. He looked around, but couldn't see any of his comrades.

"Where'd you guys go?!"

He looked around again but saw no sign of them. He didn't hear an answer either. But that little demon didn't hesitate in attacking the lone echidna.

_Boss: Demonus Nocturna_ (Player: **Knuckles**)   
Don't let the miniscule size of New Aliveria's guardian fool you. This imp is surprisingly tough and annoyingly resourceful. The battlefield includes the root pillar that you can climb around on, the sea, and the lone raft. Remember, no rings. But there are 3 shield power-ups scattered throughout the area. Use them wisely. The fight will start with Demonus flying around, shooting blue orbs from his spear. They're slow and easy to avoid, but after several seconds it'll explode and cause a wide blast radius. Stay far away from the shots. Another attack to watch out for is his teleportation. He'll disappear…then reappear right next to you on one of four sides (your left, right, front, and back), in an attempt to stab you. If you watch carefully, you'll be able to spot where he'll strike from. It takes a couple seconds for him to fade in. Jump over Demonus and get him with a good one-two combination. He'll quickly move away after a few punches, so make them count.

When the imp's life bar is at 3/4, he'll become more dangerous. His staff shots will come quicker and the blast range will increase. His teleportation strike will require less time to avoid. Demonus will also use a new attack. He'll float high in the air and point at the sea with the spear. It'll glow in unison with the weapon. Hurry and either get on the raft or grab onto the pillar. (Note that holding onto the pillar for too long will result in you getting swatted, so don't get too comfortable with it.) After 5 seconds he'll electricify the sea, damaging those unfortunate enough to be in it. Once the voltage subsides, you can climb up and glide over to him. If successful, Knuckles will automatically grab the demon and you can wail on him with punches. Once you get your licks in, he'll move away and repeat the process.

Once the demon's life is at 1/2, prepare for even faster spear shots, bigger blasts, and even faster teleportation strikes. This time, when he floats high into the air, he'll point at two of the three locations of the battlefield (pillar, sea, raft). Those places will radiate together with the spear. Whichever location did NOT glow, GET TO IT NOW…unless you like to be shocked. Prepare for another inconvience. Demonus Nocturna can heal himself. He'll mutter an odd chant and latch onto the pillar, and then turn invisible. You'll have about 10 seconds to climb on, find him, and then nail him. Otherwise he'll restore 20 percent of his life bar. The imp will keep healing himself every 10 seconds until you get him. How do you find the bastard? Look close. You'll notice an odd little distortion among the roots. That's where he is. Climb over to it and give him the smack down. He'll reappear and move away, repeating the procedure.

Now that Demonus is down to 1/4, he'll pull out all the stops. He'll destroy the raft, and the sea's surface will be electrocuted for the remainder of the fight. There's only one place to go, the pillar. Climb on. The imp will command the roots to protrude out from the pillar. They will slowly rotate around it like a carousel. You can use these as platforms as you try to finish off Demonus. Don't fall into the sea. He'll randomly teleport anywhere, alternating between shooting those exploding orbs, and stabbing you. He'll try to throw you off by contstantly changing the rotating direction of the roots. Stop him if he tries to heal. Do whatever you can to catch the demon and wail on him. Climb, glide, uppercut, etc. The longer you take to defeat him at this phase, the more difficult it will become. For every minute that elapses, a swarm of 5 dragonflies will appear. Scrap them quick and focus back on Demonus. Once you knock Nocturna's life to zero, consider him done.

Knuckles looked down at the screeching demon as it fell into the ocean below. It quickly dissolved under a tiny splash. His friends still haven't shown up, so he decided to call them out again.

"Guys! Can you hear me?"

Silence.

"GUYS! SONIC! TAILS! CHAOTIX! ANYBODY!"

Nothing.

"Did they all..." he muttered. "Nah…I'm sure they're all right. They can take care of themselves…wait…"

Knuckles stopped and listened close. He could've sworn he heard something in the water.

"…" 

Tiny bubbles appeared on the surface, which soon turned bigger and bigger. And then…

"…?"

KAWHOOSH! 

Sonic and the fellas dashed up the pillar in a line, holding each other hand in hand. Charmy, the last in line, offered his red friend a hand. The dash toward the top wasn't interrupted.

"Hey Knuckles! Glad to see you're alive!"

"I could say the same."

"Sorry we're late, Knucklehead."

"Where the hell were you guys?"

"Some of the roots below the surface decided to tangle with us. Literally. So we had to fight them off."

"I see…"

"Why? What happened?" 

"Nothing. Never mind."

"What about that little demon? Where'd it go?"

"I took care of it."

"Cool. Now everyone…from here on in, it's gonna be a non-stop dash to the city. We can't waste any more time. If we need to stop, say so now!" Sonic declared.

No need to stop. No need to turn back now. No time to be scared. 

"Okay! This is it! Angel Island! Here we come!" 

Sonic…Tails…Antoine…Knuckles and the Chaotix…Rotor…and Bunnie were one final step away from New Aliveria, where Cristine Sisytus, Shadow, and her Royal Army were waiting. Once they ascend this titanic pillar of foul necromancy to the heavens, they will be… 

_Stage O: The Ascension_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Stage: Reach New Aliveria.  
You can't stop now, Sonic. No way. Ascend through the black and white skies by doing the thing the hedgehog does best. Run like the wind. It's pretty simple. Dashing will come automatically. Use the analog stick to run left and right around the pillar. Jump, move, and roll to avoid the various attacks of the roots and hordes of dragonflies. They'll come at you from many directions. Small warnings will flash onscreen on how to dodge them. Read them and apply it. Snag any shield power-ups you can, because the you-know-whats don't exist anymore. Your speed will gradually increase as the stage progresses. If you collide into an obstacle while having a shield, you'll temporarily slow down but you'll quickly pick back up again. If you don't have a shield, you'll lose momentum and fall to your death. Halfway through the stage you'll pass through a blanket of clouds. Your visibility will be limited for a while, but remain alert. Your adversaries won't quit, but neither will you. Adhere to the warnings. Once you pass the clouds, the huge, vivid city will be a stone's throw away. Congratulations. You've made it. Complete the stage by arriving on New Aliveria.

The Wind Etheral raced up the rocky underbelly of the floating island, dragging his friends along for the ride. Sonic sprinted up the side in a streaming cloud of dust. He leapt up through the air and grabbed onto the edge with one hand. With one final thrust, he leapt up and pulled his other arm to whip his buddies onto the topside.

They had arrived, and couldn't help but gaze upon the 12,000 year old city…reborn. The magnificent glory of New Aliveria demanded their undivided attention. Sonic saw it all before. It was just as he remembered it. The numerous skyscrapers, the hovering automations, the magic, nature, and technology integrated into one metropolis. But Sonic's 'father', The Ruler, wasn't ruling New Aliveria. No. His most hated nemesis, Cristine Sisytus, not only reigned supreme over the city…but crippled the Earth in the process.

"Sorry if I was going too fast." The Etheral said.

Everyone looked roughed up a bit from the extensive, speedy journey up the pillar. But they were peachy.

Vector snorted. "It's cool, man."

"We've been through hell and back, but we made it. We're finally here." Knuckles said.

"Oui…zat madamosielle eez really close…I theenk I can feel her presence…"

"Me too Twan…me too…"

"So…now that we've arrived, are we ready?" Vector asked.

Antoine straightened out his uniform. Bunnie made sure her robotic limbs were in check. Espio sharpened his throwing knives and shurikens. Vector put some fight music in his headphones. Mighty took a deep breath. Charmy stood on the armadillo's shoulder, looking ahead. Tails and Rotor did a last-minute check on their supplies, tranquilizer darts included. 

Knuckles walked forward and stood beside Sonic, who was a few steps ahead of the pack.

**_The Next and Final Chapter: Darkest Before Dawn_**


	19. Darkest Before Dawn

**Chapter 19 – Darkest Before Dawn**

Sonic and Knuckles continued to gaze upon New Aliveria around them with a look of purpose. Their friends behind them looked at the bustling city as well. The main enemy, that sorceress, was awaiting their arrival. After 12,000 long years, Sonic and Cristine Sisytus would engage in battle once again. It was time to settle the score.

"…Let's go." The hedgehog told them, beginning to walk. "She's waiting for us at the Royal Capital."

The crew began to march with the Etheral. Knuckles was at his right side. Tails was at his left. The Chaotix were right behind them. Rotor, Antoine, and Bunnie brought up the rear.

The echidna walked beside him. "Where is this Royal Capital?"

"It's several miles ahead, at the very center of the city. It's the tallest building in New Aliveria." 

"The tallest building…" Charmy said to himself as he stood on Vector's shoulder.

Automated transportation continued to travel the airways and highways like clockwork. Looking to their left, they could see their reflections off of a mirrored glass building in the distance.

A booming rumble from out of nowhere had made several ears perk up in attention.

Mighty looked around, as well as several others. "…What was that?" 

"It sounded like thunder." Tails replied.

Rotor agreed. "Yeah it does."

The sky had become darker with another grumbling roar.

A drop of water had hit Sonic's forehead and ran down his face, giving the impression that he was crying.

The hedgehog wiped it off and looked up. "Hmm? Is it gonna rain?"

His question was promptly answered. It had begun to rain in the floating city. It was a light shower at first, but quickly grew heavier and heavier. It immediately became a downpour.

"Aw man! My headphones are gonna be ruined!" Vector yelled.

Espio was thinking. "(Is this some sort of sign?)"

"MOVE!" Sonic shouted.

CRACKLE! KASHOOOOM!

The crew scattered and dived in different directions. They nearly dodged the massive lightning bolt that struck down upon them. Close call. One second slower and they would've been electrocuted right then and there.

Knuckles wiped his brow. "How the hell could there be a thunderstorm UP HERE?! The island is ABOVE the clouds!"

"I'll give ya three guesses who's doin' it." Bunnie said, helping Charmy and Antoine get to their feet.

"Hmph…"

The sky continued to blacken at a rapid pace. It was so dark that one could mistake this as night time. Lights had started to dot the huge metropolis.

"RUN!" Mighty warned.

More huge lightning bolts threatened the clique, and they ran as fast they could to dodge them. It seemed to follow the mobians where ever they went.

CRACKLE! KASHOOOOM!

"Yipes! Zee lightneeng won't stop! Eez insaneety!"

"Whoaaaaah!"

KASHOOM! 

"Guys!" Knuckles pointed toward the side of the street. "Go inside that building over there! We'll be safe!"

Everyone soon followed the echidna toward the location. The lightning bolts were relentless, marking the ground with smoking, black spots. They stormed through the door and into the building. The lightning soon stopped, much to their relief. The drenched mobians looked around. It appeared they were in an abandoned shop, full of nifty little doodads.

Tails shook to get the water off of him. "Well that was a warm reception."

Knuckles peered out the window. "Heh. Yeah. New Aliveria's welcome mat has teeth."

Sonic was leaning back against the wall, crossing his arms and pondering. There was silence for a few seconds. They remained quiet as they heard the sound of raindrops and passing automations.

"Can we really get to the Royal Capital with lightning bolts on our butts the whole way?" Mighty questioned.

Vector set his headphones on the counter. "If we can't think of any other way, we're gonna have to try."

"Hold on guys. I'll be back." Sonic said, and then suddenly burst out the door. 

"Sonic?!"

"SONIC! GET BACK HERE!"

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

The hedgehog ran back out into the rain. He dashed across the street to a nearby building. It wasn't long before the lightning began to make its presence once more. Sonic ran up the side of the huge structure all the way to the roof. More strikes came down upon him but he sidestepped them with ease.

"(Now let's see here…)"

Sonic put a hand above his eyes to block out the rain and looked straight ahead…there it was. The majestic Royal Capital, stretching toward the sky, several miles from his position. A radiating violet dome had protected the perimeter, shining amidst the dark city.

"Looks like some kind of forcefield. Figures." he muttered.

_"Look around the city, Mach."_

The Wind Etheral's pupils shrunk, and he searched around. Several pillars were strewn throughout the city, each about 1,000 feet in height. Thanks to his enhanced vision, he could spot them with little effort. They were glowing violet, same color as the Royal Capital's barrier.

_"Do you know what you have to do?"_

"Hmm…Yeah, Shiro. I get it. Destroy them. But I don't remember this from the Old Aliveria. What is this?"

"It was a security system that The Ruler had implemented, but never became functional. Seems like Cristine had finished what he started."

"Heh."

Suddenly, the rain had stopped. The lightning had finished. The temperature was now declining quickly, and Sonic could feel it in his bones. His body shivered in getting accustomed to the sudden change. He could see his breath in the now cold air.

"What in the…"

A single white flake fell and landed on his shoulder, and then more flakes fluttered from the sky.

"…Snow?"

Sonic ran down the building and back into the little shop.

"Where the hell have YOU been?" Knuckles asked.

Tails looked relieved. "I was worried you went crazy again."

"Nah, little buddy. I'm fine. Just scopin' out where the Royal Capital was. You guys see that snow?"

"Yeah…pretty crazy." Vector said.

"Got some bad news though, Royal Capital's protected by a barrier."

"Shucks…" Bunnie sighed. 

Rotor sat down in a chair. "That definitely puts a hamper on things."

"No worries though. I know how we can break the barrier."

Knuckles nodded. "Lay it on us."

"There are nine pillars spread throughout New Aliveria, one for each district. We need to destroy them to break the barrier and enter the Royal Capital."

"Nine of them? This is gonna take awhile…"

"I thought as much myself, Knux. That's why I think we should split into two groups."

"We're gonna split up?" Charmy asked. He looked a bit disappointed.

"Yeah. We're gonna have to, but only for a while. Knuckles and the Chaotix will be one group. Tails, Antoine, Rotor, Bunnie, and I will be the other. We'll knock out the pillars faster this way."

The echidna asked. "Where are the pillars exactly?"

"They're easy to find. They'll be standing tall and glowing purple. You can't miss them."

"Sounds like a plan. Where do you want to meet once we finish?"

"Mmm…we'll meet at Cessna Terrace. It's a grand plaza about a mile south of the Royal Capital. If it's anything like the original Aliveria, there should be a huge fountain statue of The Ruler there."

"Alright everyone." Knuckles smirked. "You heard the hedgehog. There are nine of these pillars throughout the island. Let's knock em' out and meet at the terrace."

Knuckles, Espio, Charmy, Vector, and Mighty grouped together and walked out into the snow. Sonic, Tails, Antoine, Bunnie, and Rotor were right behind them. Their footprints marked the white blanket below.

A few minutes after they have stepped outside, another strange phenomenon began to occur. The temperature jumped at a frightening pace to around 100 degrees, melting the snow-covered landscape in mere seconds. 

"Whoowee…is it hot out here…or is it just me?" Bunnie asked.

All the mobians could feel the heat, and they began to sweat. Charmy fanned Vector's face with his wings to keep him cool. 

"Thanks Charms."

"No prob!"

Mighty sighed. "Geez laweez…what is going ON HERE? First it's a flood, then snow, now it's burning hot."

"Cristine sure knows how to play mind games." Tails said.

"That woman must REALLY like us…" Knuckles grumbled. "Let's destroy the pillars, gang. The faster we do this, the less time we have to deal with this crap."

The two groups began to go their separate ways.

"You guys go west." Sonic pointed. "And we'll go east. We'll meet at Cessna Terrace once we're done." 

"Alright Sonic. Chaotix! Move out!" Knuckles commanded, leading the pack to the western side of the city.

"Ready Tails? Ready guys? Try to keep up!" Sonic told his clique, who were following him to the eastern side of the city.

_Stage P: New Aliveria_ (Player: **Sonic **& **Knuckles**)   
Mission: Destroy the nine pillars.  
Welcome to New Aliveria, a long lost city reborn. You're one step away from confronting Cristine Sisytus at the Royal Capital. Unlike Earth, there are rings here. In this stage, you'll take control of both Sonic and Knuckles. The constantly changing weather will have an impact on the gameplay. That will be explained later. In the east side, the hedgehog will need to destroy 5 pillars. In the west side, the echidna will scrap 4 pillars. Sonic's gameplay will consist of speedy, twisting rails, making death-defying leaps across rooftops, and weaving back and forth through traffic along the highway. Knuckles' gameplay will have you climbing buildings, gliding over otherwise impassible areas, and using his fists to break through barriers. You'll need to switch between the two characters at certain points in the level to progress. To do so, push the Z button. For example, a steel wall barricade will block Sonic's path. Switch control over to Knuckles and find the control panel that will lower the barricade. The control panels are located inside certain buildings. Climb onto the side of one and use the dig command to bust through the window to the interior. Find the console and activate it. The barricade will lower, allowing Sonic access. Switch over to the hedgehog and continue the stage. Both characters will need to fight off automated laser turrets and those persistent Aliverians. Both can also hitch rides on airborne vessels for convenient travel. Now, about the weather. This stage will have 4 weather conditions: flash flood, blizzard, extreme heat, and wind gusts. It will cycle to the next one every 45 seconds. Each one will affect the gameplay in a certain way. Stay on your toes. Flash floods will submerge the streets in water, reducing your running and jumping capability. Blizzards will limit visibility and make the ground slick. Extreme heat is actually beneficial. It doubles your burst charge rate. Wind gusts will blow in a random direction, affecting your running, jumping and gliding. Once a character reaches a pillar, he'll need to reach the top to destroy the core and shut it down. Sonic's pillars have rails built around them, so the hedgehog can grind on them to the top easily. Knuckles' pillars don't have rails, but he can climb them to the top. Once both characters have put their respective columns out of commissions, the stage will be completed. 

Sonic, Tails, Antoine, Rotor, and Bunnie arrived at Cessna Terrace first. For now, the changing weather seemed to have stopped. That's good. The fountain statue was there in the center of the plaza, just as he said. But it wasn't of The Ruler.

The hedgehog sneered at the sight. It was a statue of 'her'.

"Hold on guys. Be right back." He told them.

Before they could say anything, Sonic raced up a building to the roof. He stared some distance ahead.

"What do you see, mon ami?"

"Just as I thought. The barrier's gone. We can enter the Royal Capital." 

He raced back down the building, only to meet Knuckles and the Chaotix who had just arrived. They looked like they had no trouble at all. The two groups were reunited.

The Etheral patted the guardian on the back. "Glad you all could make it." 

"Likewise. So what's going on? Did we do it?"

"Yeah. The Royal Capital's barrier is gone. We can go in and take of business. Finish this once and for all."

"Music to my ears. Chaotix! You guys ready to kick some ass?"

Mighty, Espio, Charmy, and Vector composed themselves and nodded in unison. The four stood by their leader. No words were needed, they were ready. Judging by their facial expressions, they have never looked so serious in their lives.

Sonic turned to Tails, who was at his right side. "Are you ready…Miles?"

"…Miles? Wow…you haven't called me that in…forever."

"I know…" 

"Are you feeling alright, Sonic?"

"…Yeah, I'm fine. It's the…Etherals talking…that's all." He said, gently patting the young fox on the head.

Sonic turned to his left and there was Antoine, who was saluting him in a respectful manner.

"I am…ready to fight for you, Soneek. I…admit I am a bit of a…coward, but I will lay my life on the line. No…no matter what."

Bunnie held the coyote's slightly trembling hand, and he looked into his eyes. "Me too…me too."

"I know I'm not much of a fighter, but I'll help anyway I can." Rotor said.

Sonic felt fortunate to have such good friends, feeling a little weight lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you. Really. Thank you. You guys are really the best friends I've ever had in my 12,000 year life. No matter what happens, I'll always remember you. All of you…"

"Yeah yeah yeah…" Knuckles interrupted. "We like you too. The sentimental crap can wait. We still have a woman to wipe from existence."

"Oh right…heh…sorry. Let's go." Sonic told the party, putting his right hand out in front of him.

Everyone else grouped in and joined their hands with Sonic's.

"For our friends. For our planet. For our future. We will be victorious. We will destroy Cristine Sisytus. Her life will come to an end. Let's do it on 3, guys. 1…2…3…"

The ten hands jumped into the air with high-spirited jubilation.

"LET'S DO IT!"

"CRISTINE SISYTUS! HERE WE COME!"

Full of confidence, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Espio, Antoine, Rotor, Bunnie, Mighty, Charmy, and Vector began to run north through New Aliveria, closing the distance between them and the capital.

Nothing but the fated battle ran through their minds as the mobians ran. Who knew what Sisytus had in store for them? It was too late for second doubts now, for their destination was now in sight.

"On your guard. We're here." Sonic told them as he came to a screeching halt.

The others stopped in their tracks as well, for they had arrived. There it was, demanding their attention. The grand marble stairs ran from the gorgeous courtyard all the way up to the decorated entrance. Before them stood the magnificent glory that is the Royal Capital, where The Ruler once governed the Aliveria of old. It loomed over them, standing 70 stories high. Past and present had finally met. 

They stood there ready to fight, expecting major company. But it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"So…do we enter?" Espio asked.

"It's too quiet…too quiet." Sonic said, surveying the grounds. "I don't like this."

Tails agreed. "Yeah…I was expecting at least a few guards. Something's up."

"Nobody seems to be out here." Rotor commented. 

Mighty cracked a slight grin. "Maybe she's feeling generous."

"Ha." Vector shook his head. "I doubt that."

"Could eet be a trap?"

"Probably, Twan. But we're gonna havta go in regardless."

"Bunnie's got a point. We'll have to go inside no matter what. Everyone, let's roll."

Sonic didn't even take three steps before they heard voices in the air, and he instantly stopped.

_Majesty, worship Her Majesty…_

"…"

"You guys hear that?" the hedgehog asked them.

Knuckles listened closer. "Yeah. Is someone…singing?"

_Unto to God be all glory, honour, and praise…_

"More like a choir singing." Vector added.

The crocodile was correct. The doors of the Royal Capital slowly opened up, prompting Sonic and the crew to assume fighting positions. The Wind Etheral hunched down, ready to sprint in a split second.

_Majesty, kingdom authority…_

Two rows of Aliverians, elegantly dressed in black robes, leisurely stepped out from inside. Twenty in each line, forty in all. Their voices were quite heavenly, filling the air with smooth, divine hymns.

_Flow from Her throne, unto Her own, Her anthem raise._

_So exalt, lift up on high the name of Sisytus  
Magnify, come glorify Sisytus Cristine the Queen_

The angels descended the grand stairs in an orderly fashion. They continued to sing their song, dedicated to their one and only superior. Once reaching the bottom, they split up and lined on both sides of the walkway.

A few seconds later, some familiar friends, the Elite Royal Guard, had emerged from the building. G.U.N., Acorn, and Down Unda soldiers walked down the stairs in a tight formation. Assault rifles, swords, and submachine guns were held tightly in their hands. The fifty-plus brigade lined up horizontally, at the base of the grand stairs.

"Shoot!" Sonic looked down. "She got to them…"

Bunnie gasped. "It's…it's…! Those soldiers…no…"

"They're…under her control…damn it." Knuckles muttered.

_Majesty, worship Her Majesty  
Sisytus, who died, now glorified, Queen of all Queens…_

The next to walk from the entrance was an ominous figure, draped in a long dark-violet cloak. There was definitely a dark air about him. Only his mouth could be seen. He stood at the top of the stairs, showing no emotion whatsoever.

The crew had perplexed looks on their faces.

"Who is that?" Tails asked.

"That's what I want to know, little buddy." 

"Zat hooded person seems to so famil'air…"

Espio stared at the stranger. "There's something about that guy. I don't like it. Not one bit."

"I hear ya Espy." The crocodile replied. "I'm getting real bad vibes from that dude. Not cool at all."

The winged choir hit a rousing verse in their hymns as 'she' appeared. That woman. The Destroyer of Earth, the Resurrector of Aliveria, their main nemesis, Cristine Sisytus, appeared in the doorway. Dressed in an exquisite, flowing red robe and a golden tiara with embedded diamonds, she truly did look the part of a Queen. In her right hand was a pure silver scepter, carved in the shape of a king cobra. A green orb shimmered in its mouth. She stood right beside the cloaked figure.

To say that Cristine's entrance was impressive would be an understatement.

"Well…I'd say we have our work cut out for us." Sonic muttered to Knuckles.

"Yeah."

The sorceress just couldn't resist flashing an ear-to-ear grin. The choir ended their hymn, knowing that she was about to speak. 

"Welcome home, Mach."

"Cristine…" Sonic growled as he clenched his fists. He could feel his blood heating up already. "You better enjoy your life while you still can! Cause we're about to end it!"

"Tsk tsk…now Mach, is that any way to treat an old friend?"

He hissed. "You're no friend of mine."

"You're the one responsible for the screwy weather, ain't ya?" Vector questioned.

"I just wanted to keep my guests entertained. I couldn't let you get bored on the way over here, now could I?"

"Heh. Cute." Bunnie muttered.

Tails pointed. "Who's that cloaked person beside you?"

"Oh…it's someone you might know...you'll more or less recognize him once you see him."

He still didn't move a muscle.

"Doesn't this make you want to reminisce, Mach? Don't you remember the simply wonderful times we've had together in this city?"

"I try to forget every single day."

"I went through all the trouble of getting dressed, having this choir arranged and everything, for your GLORIOUS return home, Mach."

"You can stop with the false formalities now." Knuckles interjected. "You know it. I know it. We're here to destroy you."

Cristine's grin instantly turned grim. Her eyes narrowed into an ice-cold stare. "You want to get straight to the point? Fine. Very well then. ELITE ROYAL GUARD!" 

The assortment of uniformed humans and mobians raised their weaponry. Guns clicked into position and swords were unsheathed. Their eyes were as dead as their wills. Puppets on strings. 

"Eliminate them."

Simultanously, they marched toward Sonic's group, intent on eliminating their opponents.

"Oh geez sugah-hog…I…I don't wanna hurt them…"

Mighty frowned. "Yeah…me neither…they were our allies after all." 

"G.U.N.! Down Unda! Acorn! Guys! It's us! Don't you remember?! We're your friends!!" Charmy shouted, trying to snap them out of it. But it was no use.

"Forget it Charmy." Knuckles told him. "It's not working. The spell's too strong." 

Sonic knelt down into a three-point stance. "We have no choice then. We'll just have to knock them out. I don't like it, but what else can we do?"

Antoine brought out his Royal Sword. "I'll just hit 'em in zee head with zee hilt." 

"Cool. Remember guys. Don't kill them. Just knock them out."

"FIRE!" a G.U.N. member shouted.

The ten spread out as machine gun fire lit up the battleground.

Sonic outran the trail of gunshots easily, and sped up on an unsuspecting kangaroo. He jump-kicked him right in the gut, sending him flying and knocking him out.

"I'm sorry dude…"

Charmy lifted up a G.U.N. soldier and dropped him on an unsuspecting group down below.

Vector ran like hell to avoid a grenade blast. Using Tails as a baseball, he threw him right at a dingo's head, cleaning his clock good.

Cristine and her cloaked partner just stood there, with vacant looks on their faces.

Antoine showed some notable swordplay. He deflected a squirrel's vertical sword strike, and countered with a hilt to the forehead.

"Forgive me, comrade…"

Knuckles and Mighty leapt back and forth over sweeping gunfire and knocked two more G.U.N. personnel out. 

Rotor ran around hectically; ready to apply first aid at any time.

It wasn't even a close fight. Sonic and the gang were knocking them out one by one no problem, using teamwork, reflexes, and quick thinking. The fifty-plus squad was taking naps within mere minutes. The courtyard and beyond were littered with their bodies. None of them were killed, thank goodness.

Sonic dusted off his hands as he and his pals gathered back together, now facing the two enemies at the top of the grand stairs.

"Too easy!" The hedgehog boasted. "Any more lackeys you wanna throw at us, Cristine?"

The woman wasn't at all surprised by the outcome. "Sigh…just as I figured. Useless pawns."

She turned to her partner. "Looks like you'll have to deal with this meddlesome trash. Kill them. Show no mercy. Understand?"

"…Yes Master."

"That voice!" Sonic exclaimed. "Is that…" 

Everyone else stepped closer, they know what they heard… 

The stranger threw off this dark-violet cloak and dashed down the stairs toward them with blazing speed.

"Magna Shadow! Destroy them!"

"SHADOW?!?"

While they were distracted with knowing his identity, Shadow spin-kicked Antoine, knocked Vector with a right hook, and struck Rotor with a crushing shoulder tackle. All three were on the ground within four seconds. 

"(Whoa…)" Sonic thought. "(I don't remember Shadow being this fast…)"

The blue blur performed a sweep kick, which his dark counterpart jumped. He fought back with an unusually fast roundhouse kick to the head, knocking Sonic down. He was now dazed.

"Urrraghh…"

Both Knuckles and Mighty came at the dark hedgehog with unrelenting punches. Jab, right hook, left hook, body blow, uppercut, jab…but they whiffed every blow. Shadow answered back with a flip kick and a drop kick that sent the echidna and armadillo flying back and hitting the ground hard. 

"Gah…"

"Oof!"

Shadow cracked his neck and looked around him, dull eyes analyzing the situation. 

"Shadow!" Charmy yelled. "It's us! We're your friends! Don't you remember?!"

The ultimate life form replied to his question by headbutting him in the nose. Covering his nose, the bee fluttered to the ground. He was about to cry.

Espio vanished in a twirl of leaves. Shadow stood absolutely still. Several seconds later the ninja attacked with a dive from above. The hedgehog simply took one step back, making the chameleon miss and land on the ground. Espio was met with a nasty knee to the chin, now out cold. 

Cristine's smile grew wider and wider by the minute, watching their demise unfold before her.

"I've imbued Shadow's body with a nice dose of dark magic. And you all have the priviledge of experiencing the first taste of it!"

"You asked for it!" Bunnie shouted.

She punched Shadow in the back of the head with her robotic fist, but it was like hitting a brick wall. The hedgehog didn't even flinch. He simply turned around and stared at her with those lifeless gray eyes. The hedgehog waved his finger in a "you shouldn't have done that" gesture. 

"MAGNA SHADOW!!" Cristine shouted.

He turned around at looked at her Queen. "Yes Master?"

She raised her arm and pointed straight at Tails, who was looking back in an unfavorable manner.

"That fox is Mach's best friend. Kill him first."

"Yes Master."

Shadow began walk toward Tails, charging up dark energy in his fists.

"TAILS! RUN!"

Bunnie tried to stop him with another blow in the back of the head. Not much of a reaction. Shadow tried to swat her away with a firm backfist, but she blocked it with a forearm. Bunnie struck the hedgehog's jaw with a clean uppercut, but again, he didn't flinch. Shadow swung across her face with a blazing hook. She flew back and slid across the ground face-first. Out cold.

Now Tails was the only one left standing. Shadow had made short work of the other nine, in record time.

Cristine Sisytus laughed out loud in excitement. "Excellent Magna Shadow! No one is in the way now! Kill the fox! Once you're done, kill Mach next, and then the rest!"

Shadow's fists glowed red once more and he walked toward an increasingly nervous Tails. The fox kneeled down and pulled a small flash bomb out of his shoe. These babies had got him many out of a tight situation.

"Hope this works…" he said to himself.

Tails threw the flash bomb at Shadow's feet, but the hedgehog kicked it right back at the fox. The device went off, blinding the fox instead. He fell on his backside, rubbing his eyes frantically.

"AH! AHHH! I CAN'T SEE! I CAN'T SEE!!" 

This definitely wasn't good for the young fox. This made Shadow's job much easier.

"NOW'S YOUR CHANCE! CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF HIM!" Cristine commanded.

"Yes Master." 

Shadow kneeled down and wrapped both of his hands around the impaired fox's neck.

"Ah! Sha…!!"

Tails could feel his windpipe closing fast, as the hedgehog's grip on him became tighter. Shadow's cold eyes and teeth gleamed at the thrill of the kill.

The blinded child cried out for help. "S…Sonic…! He…help me…help mee…ACK!"

Tails' senses were beginning to fade. The fox was rapidly getting weaker and weaker, barely receiving any oxygen. He weakly flailed his hands around, trying to mount any kind of resistance.

"…Sonic…Son….s…." 

He could barely breathe now. Shadow kept applying the pressure. Lightheadedness was now kicking in. His eyes were beginning well up and redden. At this rate, he would die within half a minute. 

"...s…."

Sonic's eyes finally opened, regaining consciousness. His ears perked up, responding to Tails' pleas for help. The hedgehog looked up…and saw his best friend's life about to end.

"TAILS!"

With a newfound vigor, the Wind Etheral jumped up to his feet. His body began to glow a hot blue and dashed straight at Shadow.

"GET OFF HIM YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

The ultimate life form turned his head toward Sonic, only to get kicked right across the chin with a ferocious scissor kick. Shadow was airborne a good twenty feet before landing on his side.

The blue hedgehog knelt down and firmly placed his hands on Tails' shoulders. The fox's eyes were closed and he lay motionless. A panicked Sonic gently nudged him.

"Tails! Are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

"Tails! C'mon buddy! Say something!"

He didn't move. Sonic nudged him harder, anxiety beginning to take over him.

"C'mon…c'mon…say something. Anything! Please!"

Still, he didn't respond. The hedgehog started to breathe harder and harder, his body shaking uncontrollably. Sonic picked up the limp fox in his arms and looked down at him. A lump formed in his throat, moisture building up in his eyes. That familiar feeling began to take over him again… 

"T…Tails…"

Sonic's heartbeat raced. His mind was a blur. A sharp pain punctured his gut. He fell on his hands and knees again, unintentionally dropping Tails. Huge fangs appeared as he turned toward Shadow with burning hatred in his eyes. 

"…You…you…did this to him….my best friend…" 

The fact that Shadow was under Cristine's control, a mere lackey, escaped Sonic's mind. As of now, he was too angry to be rational.

"I'm…I'm…."

Monstrous claws grew from his hands, and the hedgehog grunted and screamed as his body initated the change once again.

"…GOING TO KILL YOU!"

He cried under the boost of muscle forming over his body. His eyes were ablaze with an orange light.

"URRRAGGGGGH!!" 

A burst of flames ignited him, turning him red. The quills stuck out straight. His fiery tail thumped the ground repeatedly. An infuriated Sonic was on all fours, roaring like a beast at Shadow. 

The ultimate life form and Cristine's mouth were slightly gaped, not expecting the Wind Etheral to undergo such a tremendous change.

"A transformation?" Cristine said to herself. "Heh...such power. I can feel it from up here…but still…no matter. He's as good as gone."

The woman pointed down. "MAGNA SHADOW! DESTROY MACH!"

"Yes Master…" 

Shadow turned his head and spit out blood, thanks to Sonic's forceful kick. Sonic hunched and snarled at him. The two stared each other down, intent on tearing each other to pieces.

_Boss: Magna Shadow_ (Player: **Sonic – Fury Form**)   
As the enraged Fury Sonic, you'll have access to an array of new moves. Your Burst Meter will stay at the maximum the entire fight, so don't worry about running out of power. Push B to perform a claw swipe. Push B at top speed to do a fire tackle. Hold B while standing still to charge up energy. Release the button after 3 seconds to unleash a combustion blast. It'll knock down any foe within a 10 yard radius. Push the Y button to shoot a flameball. You can push it repeatedly for rapid fire. Fury Sonic can also climb walls using his claws, Knuckles-style. Push the Y button in mid-air for a flame rush (similar to Sonic 3's flame shield). Anywhere within a mile radius of the Royal Capital is your battleground. Buildings, streets, airborne transports, everything. Cristine Sisytus will be at the top of the grand stairs, observing the battle. As much as you'd like to, don't even think about attacking her. An invisible forcefield will push you back if you get too close. Magna Shadow is definitely no slouch. He can perform the same attacks as you, except his are more of a dark elemental type. You're fire elemental naturally. You will have a life bar in this battle. If it's empty, you die…even if you have rings. Speaking of rings, you can collect them to gradually restore your life. This battle is fast-paced. Inflicting damage on Shadow is a matter of timing and strategy. Don't just blindly attack him. He'll block, or worse, counter. You'll need to scout for openings and take advantage of them anyway you can. If you see him charging for a combustion blast, rush in and do some damage while he's open. If he's using rapid fire shots at you, keep your distance or take cover. When Shadow jumps in the air, nail him with the air rush before he does. If he decides to run up the side of a building to the roof, look up. He'll begin to pelt you with more rapid fire shots. He won't stop until you get up there, so use those claws and climb to the top. Weave back and forth as you climb to dodge the projectiles. Once you're at the top, hurt him anyway you please. Flameball, claw swipe, etc. Feel free to hitch a ride on a floating transport if you need a short breather. Be extremely careful if the dark hedgehog uses chaos control. He'll disappear. Keep watch on all your sides. Shadow will rush at you with an insanely fast tackle from a random direction. Expect great damage if it connects, even more damaging if hits you up against a building. It works the other way too. You can smash Shadow with his back against the wall as well. Reduce Magna Shadow's life bar to zero to defeat him.

The mad Sonic grabbed the weakened Shadow by his neck and held him high. Full of fury and hate, the Etheral dashed forth. He quickly built up speed, still holding the dark hedgehog in his grasp.

With a great roar, he slammed Shadow right in the side of a building. The powerful impact had made the wall crumble. The ultimate life form wasn't so ultimate right now. He slumped over in a heap, barely moving.

Sonic reeled back his claw in preparation for a deadly blow. He was going to rip his head off.

Before he could deliver the strike, he felt a hand holding his claw in place. He looked back with flaring eyes and glinting fangs. It was Tails. He was okay after all.

"Sonic! Stop! It's okay. I'm alive. Please…don't kill Shadow. He couldn't help it. Cristine was controlling him, remember? She's the bad guy."

Cristine still stood at the entrance, somehow not surprised watching her partner's defeat.

"Hmph…useless…" she muttered, turning around and opening the huge door. The woman stepped inside the Royal Capital.

The fox continued to hold his claw in place with both hands. Tails' eyes connected with Sonic's. Tranquil blue and burning orange. The rest of his friends had managed to come to as well, but they stayed back. If anyone could get Sonic under control, it would be his young two-tailed friend. 

"Sonic…it's okay. It's me, Tails."

"…" 

"Remember? Your best friend? Tails?"

"…" 

The hedgehog softly growled at him…and then he lowered his claw. His emotions were beginning to soothe. His eyes showed more serenity. Little by little, Tails lightened his grip on him. Sonic now tried to speak.

"Grrr….grrr…grrrail….grrrails….rrails…" 

The fox just had to laugh out loud at that one. "Hah hah! You're trying to say 'Tails' aren't you?"

The sound of Tails laughing made Sonic laugh, thought it sounded more like growls. The hedgehog's heart was now at ease, and he began to change back. He got down on one knee, eyes closed. The quills, the eyes, the fangs…were all reverting its original self. Once he turned back to normal, he looked up.

Tails grinned at him. "Welcome back Sonic."

"W…what happened…." 

Vector looked excited. "You were kicking butt, that's what happened!"

"I did…oh no…I…I changed again….didn't I?"

"Yes you did." Knuckles replied. "And I gotta say…if you hadn't changed, we all might've been done for."

"I was…fighting Shadow, right?"

"Yeah. And you beat him."

The echidna and the rest of the clique joined up with Sonic and Tails, a bit banged up but otherwise just fine.

"Shadow was much more powerful, thanks to Cristine's magics. She imbued him with some dark power…at least that's what she said." Espio told him.

Bunnie crossed her arms. "It was like none of our attacks had any affect on him."

"Oui…" the Frenchie meekly muttered.

"Is…everyone okay?" 

Vector, Espio, Charmy, and Mighty looked at each other, stared for a bit, and then back at Sonic. "We're cool."

Rotor zipped up his medical supply case. He had been treating Tails during the fight. "As do I, Sonic. That was too close."

"I've said it a millon times, and I'll say it again." Knuckles sighed. "You saved our asses. You and Shadow were really goin' at it." 

"Thanks, Knucklehead."

"My pleasure."

Sonic looked over at his dark half among the pile of debris. He still hasn't moved. "Shadow's still out. You think he's back to normal?"

"We won't know til he wakes up."

"Well…we need to go inside the Royal Capital and get to Cristine, and we can't just leave him here."

"We're gonna take him with us?" 

"Of course. Shadow's still our friend, manipulated or not."

"Okay. If you say so. Who's gonna lug the guy around?"

Bunnie walked over and hoisted the out-cold Shadow over her shoulder. "I gotcha covered. I'll carry 'im. No problem at all."

"Thanks Bunnie. Now let's get back into focus, gang. It's time to enter the Royal Capital and get Cristine!"

Everyone whole-heartedly agreed. "Right!" 

The mobians gathered once more and hightailed up the grand stairs into the 70 story Royal Capital, the central place of power within New Aliveria. Sonic was born here, and he would be damned if he would die here.

They were now inside the Throne Room of the dignified establishment. The royal seat was empty. Just about everything that Sonic remembered was here. The elobarately decorated halls and floors of gold, solid marble, crystals, jewels, and much more. The red carpet was cushy underneath their feet. Everywhere you looked you were blinded by extravagant taste. The chandelier accented everything in the room beautifully.

_"Welcome to my humble abode, Mach!"_

Everyone instantly looked up. "(Cristine…)" they all thought.

"Why are you hiding, Cristine?" Sonic scowled. "Your 'Elite Royal Army' was a bust. Shadow's out cold. You're all alone now!"

Knuckles raised his fist. "Come down here and face us…or are you scared?" 

_"Scared? Ha! Hardly. I have recently discovered something quite amazing, actually. I don't have time to play with you right now. But…if you insist, I'll be at the very top. You better hurry. I won't be here very long…"_

"Oh hell no…" Knuckles fumed. "She is NOT getting off that easy! Let's go! To the top!"

But before they could run, little flying demons, equipped with spears, stormed into the room from down the hall. The monsters were looking quite familiar, clones of Demonus Nocturna by the looks of it.

"Those imps…they look like that thing I fought in the ocean." Knuckles said.

Charmy hovered close to Espio. "There's MORE of those creeps?"

Sonic scoffed at them. "Nothing more than time-wasters. Let's do what Knuckles says and get to the top. It's time for the grand finale!!" 

Even more of those demons came down the hall.

_Stage Q: The Royal Capital_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Reach the 70th floor.  
Cristine Sisytus is at the top, and she seems to be up to something. As Sonic, speed your way up the 70 floors of the vast palace. Some elevators are functional, others are not. So expect to rush up the stairs now and then. Don't be distracted by the high-class surroundings. Those flying imps won't make it easy for you. Fortunately, they only take one hit to kill…but there are a TON of them. They'll attack using teleportation strikes and electrical orb projectiles. Attack first. Attack fast. Your Force Break will be invaluable here. The knight statues lining the halls aren't so innocent. They'll lower their swords and axes as you pass by them. Don't get cleaved. The chandeliers will fall if you're positioned below them, so mind the ceiling. Once you reach the 10th floor elevator, hop in for a ride to the 20th floor. Watch it. Four imps are waiting inside to ambush you. They'll appear all around Sonic. Scrap them quick and continue. Fight/dash your way up the stairs to the 30th floor elevator. As soon as you step in, you'll hear something snap…and the elevator will descend a tad. Quickly get off before it falls, taking you with it. How are you going to ascend now? Easy. Use your wall jump to go up the elevator shaft to the 40th floor. Don't screw up your timing or you'll fall. From the 40th floor on up, this stage will become significantly more difficult. Cristine's magic prevents further use of stairs and elevators, so you'll have to rely on wall jumps and wall runs to progress. Infrared lasers will now patrol the halls in a horizontal, vertical, and rotating fashion. Use your speed and wits to slip past them. Tripping one will sound an alarm, summoning a group of imperial imps, a tougher version of the original. These fiends wear silver armor, meaning they'll require 2 hits to defeat instead of 1. They're also quite a bit faster. But you're Sonic, fast is your middle name. Once you reach the 70th floor, there will be a door leading up to the roof. Enter it to complete the stage and face your foe.

They could feel her presence…

Sonic burst through the door with his friends closely behind him. Shadow still was unconscious over Bunnie's shoulder. There she was on the other side of the hexagonal shaped roof, facing away from the mobians. She was absorbed in some sort of spell. The woman was drawing marks in the air with her finger, leaving a faint trail of light where ever it moved.

There was a simply breathtaking view of New Aliveria down below. It was much easier to acknowledge the scope of the city at this altitude.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Bunnie, Antoine… 

Rotor, Espio, Charmy, Mighty, Vector…

The ten stood firm, intent on accomplishing their one important goal…

"Turn around Cristine." The Etheral solemnly told her.

She donned that devious smile, and closed her eyes.

"Turn around Cristine." He said again, in a slower and more assertive tone. "You've run enough. It's time to fight."

The sorceress waited a few seconds. She graciously turned around and faced them. Held in her left hand was her serpent scepter, green orb glowing.

There was a heavy silence as the two sides stared each other down.

Knuckles had enough of this peace and decided to release some pent-up anger. Without warning, he ran toward Cristine with a fist raised.

"URRRRAAGGGHHH!"

She simply smiled as the echidna threw a punch, but it was deflected by that omnipresent force field. But Knuckles didn't care. Having his island he called home taken over and transformed by some outsider did not sit well with him, to say the least.

"Knuckles! Stop! It's no use!" Charmy shouted.

"He's right." Espio agreed. "Calm down. We want Cristine dead as much as you do, but blind rage isn't going to defeat her."

The guardian growled as he kept striking the barrier with a flurry of blows, flashing with each hit. Cristine remained untouched.

"Settle down, Knucklehead! Can't you see it's not working?"

"Why don't you guys…oh I don't know…HELP ME OUT HERE? Maybe we can break this shield if enough of us start bashing on it."

"Ya know…sugah-dreads might have a point here…"

"It's worth a try." Mighty said.

"Are we ready to do zeez, mon amis?"

Tails nodded. "Ready."

The rest looked prepared as well. Bunnie carefully placed Shadow on the ground. 

"I'll watch him." Rotor offered. "Go get her." 

"Thanks Rotor."

Sonic pointed straight ahead. "Let's do it guys!"

The Etheral lead the pack. The nine rushed forth to assist Knuckles on the barrage, but it was short-lived.

Cristine raised her arm just as they closed in. "Winsori Exliron Zeisiuv!"

A blue light pulsed from her hand. An invisible force drove all the mobians back. They were sent flying to the other side of the roof, all landing in thuds.

"Ahh!" 

"Gahhhh!"

"Oof!"

They didn't even have a chance to mount a real offensive. The crew took a few moments to get themselves together and got back up. Again, the two sides were facing each other.

Cristine shook her head as if she felt pity for them. "I honestly don't know why you guys even try anymore. Don't you get it yet? IT'S OVER. I WON."

"It's over when we say it's over!" Knuckles shot back.

"Yeah!" Charmy agreed.

"What are you idiots FIGHTING FOR?! I destroyed your pathetic planet. Everyone on it is dead. Ever since I've been resurrected into this era, NO ONE has been able to defeat me, much less even touch me. I've defeated everyone who has crossed my path. And yet here you guys are, ready to throw your lives away. And for what? A dead shell of a world? Is it REALLY worth it?" 

Sonic spoke in an uncharacteristically calm, collected voice. "It's pretty simple...why we're fighting. It's because…you've done something unforgivable. You've assassinated my 'father'. You've forsaken those that ever loved you. You've manipulated innocent people to do your bidding. You're abusing power that wasn't meant to exist. You've destroyed an entire planet and taken countless lives. We're here…Cristine…to punish you for your crimes. Whether the planet will be alive…or remain dead after we destroy you…we don't know. But right now…the only way to set things right…the only way to serve justice…is to end your life. And we won't quit…we won't stop…until that is accomplished." 

His friends were on his every word, feeling their confidence beginning to soar.

Cristine stood there, absorbing everything Sonic just said to her. The hedgehog had always been a firm believer in freedom and justice, and she knew that.

One minute later, the sorceress tapped her cane and she floated up in the air. She hovered a few inches off the ground. "You and your friends seem so intent on killing me. So be it. And for that, you will be rewarded…by being wiped off the face of the Earth by my grand magics. Be thankful of that priviledge. You shall witness bonfide power before you all die."

Cristine floated up from the roof of the building, now about 1,200 feet above it. Sonic and the other looked up at her. The woman summoned four large platforms. They suddenly appeared in front of the crew, floating before them.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Antoine turned to their friends and nodded. They returned the favor. The time is now. Without hestitation, each of the four stepped on a platform and they immediately flew up. It wasn't long before the four heroes surrounded the levitating Cristine. They were at the north, south, east, and west sides of her.

The woman looked at Sonic right in the eye, and then raised her serpent cane up to the skies. "Alright mobians. Show me the power of your so-called justice!"

Let the battle begin.

_Boss: Cristine Sisytus_ (Player: **Sonic**, **Tails**, **Knuckles**, **Antoine**)   
Are you ready? I hope so. This will be your finest battle yet. It will take the combined efforts of these four mobians to bring her down. The fight will begin with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Antoine each standing on one of the four platforms surrounding Cristine (north, east, west, and south of her). She will use her magic to push the platforms all far away, about a half mile distance. They will stop eventually, and an onyx pillar will come down and pierce through the center of each platform, holding them in place. The 4 platforms are now situated in a baseball diamond layout, with Cristine in the center (the pitcher's position, if you will). Sonic is at 'home plate'. Tails is on '1st base'. Antoine is on '2nd base'. Knuckles is on '3rd base'. Don't fall. Control will alternate between Sonic, Tails, Antoine, and Knuckles...in that order at 90 second intervals. Each platform will have one 20-ring monitor. Hope it helps you enough. In the first phase, the main objective is to bring the platforms back to the center so the four of you can reach Cristine. Don't even try to fly or glide over to her, it's much too far. You won't even come close to reaching. How then? Those onyx pillars at the platforms' centers are the key. You'll notice a meter on each of them. Each character will have to repeatedly perform certain actions to charge up the meter to full. The pillar will let you know what to do. Once full, it will radiate a bright light. Don't worry if control switches to another person before you can finish (and it will), you'll be right back where you left off once the same character's turn comes up again. As Sonic, you'll have to stand on the outer edge of the platform and start running. The Figure 8 dash will help here. The platform will begin to spin, charging up the pillar. Pay attention to which direction to run. It can change at any time. It'll take quite a while, but keep at it. As Tails, you will have to fly around the pillar's top, either clockwise or counterclockwise. Keep going around it increase the charge. Again, pay attention to the direction. As Knuckles, you will scale around on the pillar. Glowing circles will appear on various places. Climb over to them and push B to raise the charge. As Antoine, pay attention to what button commands the pillar displays and strike it accordingly. It could be a vertical slash, horizontal slash, push kick, or lethal impale. A checkpoint is granted everytime a pillar is fully charged.

Of course, if you think your work won't be interrupted, you are sadly mistaken. Cristine Sisytus will perform some spectacular magic spells that will put you to the ultimate test. She will do what she can to put you out of the picture for good. It will take her a full minute to perform these powerful spells, but it doesn't mean she'll be harmless. Until that time arrives, she'll cast high-speed projectile shots at you from her serpent cane. They're pretty easy to dodge as long as you know they're coming. Don't get too absorbed into charging up the pillars. When the time comes for casting the spell, Cristine will recite the chant out loud. Use this time to determine what she'll do and prepare yourself. The following is the list of spells and the chants preluding to them:

_Ten thousand degrees of heat and light, explode! Cast unto thy enemies with flames that burn to the very soul!_ **_Corona Star!_**

Cristine will summon a giant ball of flame over her head. It will glow to a bright hot white, nearly blinding you. A great explosion will occur, sending hundreds of speeding comets in every direction. Not only do you have to dodge them, you'll have to avoid the wide fire burst they emit upon landing.

_Rain from above the rays of judgment! Come down and purify the infidels of their sins!_ **_Lumine Shower!_**

Eight rays of light will surround the perimeter of the platform. They will zoom in on your position. Move out of the way before they meet, weaving between the rays as you make the escape. Once the rays join together, it will transform into a massive beam of energy that will cover 3/4th of the platform. Watch yourself.

_Defile those that bask in your moonlight! Taint their existence for as long as they live!_ **_Moon Curse!_**

Cristine will create an artificial moon that will loom overhead in a random position. Watch the pillar. It casts a shadow in a certain direction, depending on where the moon is. Take cover in that shadow quick. Getting caught in the all-encompassing moonlight will curse you for 15 seconds (aka reversed directional controls, half speed, & 1-ring loss per second).

_Heat and freeze, wind and quake. Awaken the wrath of nature and seal their fate!_ **_Elemental Rage!_**

This one will be a pain. Be ready to endure powerful winds (don't fall!), slick ice, distracting quakes, and a meteor shower from above…all at the same time. Good luck.

_Five hundred thousand volts of pain and suffering shall be inflicted upon thee!_ **_Thunder Hammer!_**

Cristine will shoot three huge lightning bolts from her palm, one after another to your position. The bolts will rapidly snake and jump around the platform in random paths. They're unpredictable, so try to keep a good distance between you and the lightning.

Once Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Antoine charge their pillars to full (which will more than likely take 8+ minutes), the platforms will zoom back to their original positions, to where Cristine is floating. You are reunited with your pals. The platforms will collide with her forcefield, hard. She will be temporarily stunned from the impact. Now is your chance to finally hurt her. Your friends will begin to charge up their attacks, aimed right at Cristine. One of them will say, "On the count of 3, we'll strike! 1…2…3!" On 3, your buddies will hit Cristine simultaneously. Time your attack with theirs. If successful, the forcefield will break. If you miss, don't worry and try again. You have about 30 seconds before she comes to. Now that's she vulnerable, your friends will lay the smack down on her. Join in on the fun. If you keep at it, she won't have the chance to attack. She might luck out and get a scepter shot off, but other than that go nuts. Once you reduce Cristine's life bar to half, she'll create another forcefield and make a hasty getaway. You'll see her flying off into the distance. Oh no…that woman isn't getting off that easy. Using the power of the emeralds inside him, Sonic will quickly transform into Super Sonic. Go after her.

It's just Super Sonic and Cristine now, with a great view of New Aliveria down below. This last part of the battle will be similar to the Doomsday Zone in the Sonic & Knuckles game. You'll fly toward the sorceress at high speed. You'll have 25 rings to start, and will count down at a rapid pace. Keep collecting rings to remain Super, or you fall and die. Use the analog stick to steer. Dodge her scepter shots, sweeping lightning beams, explosive fire blasts, and homing parlyzation orbs (which freeze you for 3 seconds). None of the attacks will hurt you. All they do is waste your time and rings. Once you catch up to Cristine, jam on the B button to pummel on her forcefield. She'll zoom ahead once you've done some damage. Repeat the process and catch up to her a couple more times. Keep pummeling and the shield will break. Again, the impact will stun her. Once you knock her life bar down to 1/4, she'll zoom away and create yet another forcefield. Catch up to her and do the procedure again. This time, she will create poison mist in your flight path. Evade it as best you can. Flying through this mist will drain your rings even faster. Don't give up. Reduce Cristine's HP to zero to defeat her. Congratulations. You have done it. The world is safe…or is it? 

High above the city of New Aliveria, Super Sonic floated before Cristine with a confident look on his face. The young woman wasn't looking so hot now. Her clothes were tattered. She was battered and bruised. Her blonde hair was a ragged mess. For the first time in 12,000 years, Cristine Sisytus looked absolutely broken. Her defeat seemed to be inevitable.

Cristine wiped her mouth and looked into her shaking hand. "…My blood…heh…heh…haven't tasted that in years…"

"Farewell, Cristine. It's over." The golden hedgehog said. His fist burned bright as he reeled back for the last blow.

She breathed harder and harder…with that crooked smile. "…Over? Heh heh… No…it's not over. Far from it. We're just getting started." 

Super Sonic threw the punch, but Cristine wrapped herself in a column of light and teleported away. The hedgehog hit nothing but air.

"Shoot! She got away!"

The significantly worn-out Cristine appeared on the edge of the Royal Capital's roof. She immediately began to draw seemingly random lines in the air with her finger. The rest of the mobians were caught by surprise with her appearance.

"CRISTINE!" Vector hollered. "Let's get her!"

"Go!"

Try as they might, the Chaotix, Tails, Knuckles, Bunnie, and Antoine rushed forth to finish her. Once more, they were flown back by the same spell. Again and again. Cristine kept them at bay with one hand, while she continued marking the air with the other.

"Verso Meari Boquir Ziefen! Yervi Neroa Nixer Aoquet! Sear the fabric of space! Split the dimensional barrier! Allow access through the gate! The gate to Eternia!"

A gargantuan black hole suddenly appeared before Cristine, and she wasted no time running through.

Knuckles couldn't believe his eyes. "What the HELL is that?!"

"It looks like some kind of portal." Rotor answered.

Super Sonic joined up with the group, and not a moment too soon. He reverted back to his normal form, and quickly noticed the obvious.

"Whoa…what in the world is THAT thing?"

Espio pointed. "Cristine created that black hole and she went through it. She said it leads to a place named "Eternia". Who knows where that is."

"Who cares where it goes?" Sonic said. "She's getting away. We have to get her."

Everyone seemed to agree. They're willing to go through hell and back to destroy that woman.

"Guys. Look." Tails directed.

The portal was starting to shrink before their eyes. Now wasn't the time to be indecisive.

Sonic was eager. "If we're going to go, we better do it now."

"Right." The echidna looked back. "C'mon Chaotix. Let's go."

Antoine and Bunnie were a bit nervous about what lied in the unknown. But as they long as they were together, they could face anything. Same with the Chaotix. They defined what it meant to be a team.

Sonic and Tails looked at each other, then both turned to the portal. Side by side. Shadow was still out, but Rotor made sure he wouldn't be left behind.

The blue hedgehog led the group as they walked up to the gateway. "C'mon."

One by one, the mobians entered through the doorway. They disappeared from their world known as Earth, and entered another dimension…

…

Passing through a rift in space, they stepped out from the other side of the portal. What the crew saw before them was simply astounding.

It seemed a normal enough world at first. All around them were trees, grass, flowers, and a river bank nearby. But upon closer inspection, they had found out that nearly everything was made of crystal. Except for the water, all things, whether organic and inorganic, was comprised of a colored glass-like substance. The sky was a psychedelic swirl of colors, ever changing.

Sonic looked around in wonder. "So this is Eternia…"

"(Weird…)" Charmy thought.

"What kind of place is this?" Mighty asked.

"I wish I knew." Knuckles replied. "But it's definitely on the strange side."

The fox noticed a crystalline butterfly fluttering around the river bank. "What I want to know is why would Cristine go here? What's so special about this place?"

_"Good question, little fox! You all are about to find out!"_

"Cristine!"

_"Correct. Welcome to Eternia!"_

"You know, Cristine." Sonic said. "This running-away schtick of yours is reaaaally starting to get old."

_"Running away? Heh. Are you sure I'm not just LEADING YOU somewhere? You are mistaken, Mach. I'm not fleeing. On the contrary, I am pursuing a greater power."_

"Greater power?! Why you would you possibly need GREATER power?! You destroyed an entire planet! Aren't you satisfied with yourself enough?"

There was a few tension-filled seconds of quiet.

_"…No. No I'm not. The Earth is but a speck in this grand universe of ours. I want everyone and everything to acknowledge my presence. Respect my presence. Everyone and everything. Everyone. And. Everything."_

"Someone's a liiiiitle greedy." Espio muttered.

Vector rolled his eyes. "I'll say…"

"Where are you?" The hedgehog quiered.

_"Are you all really that eager to die? I've already proven that you little mobians can not defeat me. And once I've acquired this power, I will be invincible."_

"You seem so sure of yourself. Why don't you let us see how powerful you really are? If you're so great and mighty, then you shouldn't have a problem of defeating us."

_"You don't need to try and rile me up so I'll reveal the location. I'll tell you anyway. There is a gargantuan crater northeast of your position. In the center of that crater, is the Tomb of the Sovereign. In the deepest bowels of that tomb is the gravesite, my location. If you can survive the descent, then you deserve to witness…to behold…my ascension."_

"(Gravesite…?)" Sonic pondered. "Alright Cristine, we'll see you there."

_"I'll be here. And I cannot wait."_

The woman's communication with them had ended.

"She sure likes to show off." Bunnie said.

Sonic scratched his nose. "She's always been the arrogant, attention-craving type. Hasn't changed a bit. How is Shadow, by the way Rotor?"

"Still hasn't moved. Must've been one heck of a concussion."

"…Okay. Do you mind watching him a little while longer?"

"Not at all, Sonic. It's no problem."

"Okay, thank you. Now let's get ready. We're moving northeast."

Sonic burst forth with speed. His friends were trailing behind him, as determined as he was. They ran through the crystallized landscape, through hills and valleys, across rivers and forests. There was no sun or moon in the vibrant sky, no way to tell if it was day or night, if they even existed.

The hedgehog approached the cliff, and stopped on a dime at its edge. His faithful comrades halted as well.

Below the cliff was their final battleground. There was the immeasurable crater, spanning for miles around and at least a thousand feet deep. The colorful wildlife ended where the crater began. The bowl itself was devoid of life, due to the dehydrated dirt.

There was the tomb right in the center of it. Quite large it was, drab and gray but sturdily constructed. Tall statues of gargoyles and demon-like creatures lined the perimeter of the barren yard. A series of ornamented archways overlooked the stone path to the entrance itself, a door made of smooth rock.

"The Tomb of the Sovereign…" Sonic said to himself. "Cristine's there…ready to show us her newfound power…"

"Sounding like a little scared, Sonic?" Knuckles teased.

"Pfft. You wish. I'll do whatever it takes to destroy her."

"Good. Just don't hog all the action. We want a piece of her too."

"I'll try not to. No promises, though."

"…"

"…" 

"It's been a crazy journey, hasn't it?" Vector suddenly stated.

"Yeah." Espio nodded. "And now it seems our journey's about to come to an end."

Bunnie stretched her legs out. "When this is over, remind me to take a nice long vacation."

"Heh." Mighty had the same notion. "I second that."

The young bee raised his hands. "Meeeee too!"

"Whoa now guys. Let's not relax quite yet." The echidna reminded them. "We still got one huge problem, and her name is Cristine."

"Oui. Zee sorceress eez steel at large. Zee execution eez in ord'air."

Rotor took off his hat and rubbed his head. "Knuckles is right. We need to stay focused." 

Sonic turned around, eyes looking at every single person in his party. "This is winner-take-all, my friends. The final showdown. Do or die. Knuckles. Espio. Vector. Rotor. Mighty. Bunnie. Charmy. Antoine. And last but definitely not least, Tails. We ready to do this? C'mon guys. Join in. One more time."

For the final time, they came together and joined their hands in a circle. 

"1…2…3…"

Their hands shot up high, but not nearly as high as their spirits.

"LET'S DO IT!!" 

Before they could take one more step forward, Rotor stopped them.

"Wait guys."

Everyone stopped, and turned to the walrus with puzzled looks.

"What's up Rote?" Sonic asked.

"…I'm going to stay behind. And watch over Shadow."

"Dude, no way. You gotta come with us."

"No, it's alright. I insist. If the battle with Cristine is going to be as insane as I think it is, then you won't need me, or this dead weight slowing you down."

"Rotor…"

"Please guys, just go. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine out here. I haven't seen anything life-threatening since we've came to this world."

"But…"

"Please Sonic. Go. Just go." 

"…Alright, if that's what you want..."

"Yes. It is. We'll be here, awaiting your success."

"Okay Rote, you stay behind. Be careful, okay? We'll come back for you." 

"No worries. Go on ahead."

Sonic looked at him for a few more seconds before speeding on ahead. The rest of the team gave him a look of assurance, and then followed the hedgehog down the hill. Across the crater they ran, toward the tomb.

The stone door automatically slid open when they approached it, allowing easy access into the dark interior. They were now in a star-shaped room. Candles lit with purple flames were placed at the points. In the center of the room was a large round platform, a few inches above the rest of the floor. In the center of it was a glowing red orb. 

Perhaps it was instinct, perhaps it wasn't, Sonic placed his hand on the orb. A slight rumble shook the place, and the platform slightly moved. With an ominous yet soothing hum, it began to descend.

"An elevator." Sonic said to no one in particular.

Red neon-esque lines ran around the walls at set intervals as they went deeper underground. An anxious Cristine Sisytus awaited their arrival at the bottom of the elevator shaft, in the Gravesite of The Tomb of the Sovereign…

_Final Stage: The Descent into Destiny_ (Player: **Sonic**)   
Mission: Reach the lowest level.  
Here we are, at the final stage. Congrats on making it this far. You're quite a skilled player. Go ahead, feel proud. Ready now? Good. Now get into focus. You have a date with destiny. Cristine is down below, and it's not polite to keep a woman waiting. The entire stage will take place on the slowly-descending elevator. But the trip down will be anything but peaceful. Here you'll be running a gauntlet. You'll have to fight four bosses in a row. Cristine has resurrected some old foes that Sonic fought in the past, and they want payback. These will be your opponents. Their fighting patterns for the most part will remain the same, except for a surprise or two. There will be a 10-ring monitor and a shield power-up monitor when you start the stage. Make the best use of them. A checkpoint will be granted when you defeat the first 2 bosses. Here are the four opponents you'll be fighting in this stage:

_Boss #1: The Pseudo Egg Capsule_  
Remember in the game Sonic & Knuckles, where that egg capsule was actually a boss in disguise at the end of Flying Battery Zone Act 1? It's baaaack. You've beat it before, you can do it again. It won't move, but watch the large spiked orbs at the end of its arms. The capsule will swing those toward you when its eyes flash. To damage it, all you gotta do is stand on its head and wait. It's dumb enough to strike itself. Make sure you move out of the way when it does. After 4 hits, the Pseudo Egg Capsule will mix things up a bit. Every 5 seconds, the top of its head will be replaced with a deadly spike. Don't jump onto it when that happens. It'll give the phrase "pain in the ass" a whole new meaning. Wait until it retracts before you get on there again. After 4 more hits, this machine is scrap.

_Boss #2: The Tunneler_  
Sonic 3. Marble Garden Zone Act 1 boss. Remember it? This twin-drilling machine will try to get the drop on you with a dive from above. Watch the shadow and move. The Tunneler will dig into the wall, spraying out chunks of rock in the process. The round chunks won't harm you, but the pointed ones will. Keep your eyes sharp. Once it's inside the wall, you'll want to stay in the center. It will rush toward you with its drills from any side. Dodge and quickly score a hit in. The Tunneler will dig into the wall and the process repeats. After 4 hits, the machine's twin drills will fall off, revealing two laser cannons in its place. It will hover high in the air, out of reach, and fire the cannons. The beams will move around the battlefield in a random path. Stay alert. Once it's finished, it will attempt to ram you. Evade and counter. Hit The Tunneler 4 more times to finish it.

_Boss #3: The Security System_  
Remember kicking booty in Sonic 2's Wing Fortress? Does the boss at the end of the stage ring a bell? Two laser barriers will appear on each side of the elevator, slowly closing in on you. Don't touch them. Time is an issue here. You've got to hustle and beat this boss quick. There is a beam cannon roving around above, too high for you to reach. It will discharge a powerful laser aimed at you every 10 seconds. Use the 3 floating platforms bouncing around to reach the cannon and smash it. Those platforms aren't entirely safe either, unfortunately. They will be laced with electricity at set intervals, so think before you jump onto one. You don't want to be a crispy critter. After striking the cannon 4 times, it will activate a stealth device and turn invisible. Be cautious. The laser can strike from anywhere. Wait until it fires the beam again, giving away its location. Remember to hurry, those laser walls are drawing near every second. Consider this Security System done after 4 more hits.

_Boss #4: The Wrecking Machine_  
Ahh…who doesn't remember this? The original Sonic the Hedgehog, boss of Green Hill Zone Act 3? Don't let Robotnik's appearance throw you off; he's just a soulless puppet. He will float back and forth slowly, swinging a large wrecking ball from his flying eggmobile in a painfully predictable pattern. Use either one of the two platforms on the sides of the elevator to reach him. The premise is simple enough, but there is a reason why this is the 4th and final boss of this stage. Once you've struck the boss 4 times, it gets fierce. Robotnik and his eggmobile will be destroyed, but the wrecking ball will remain. It will grow spikes around its body, rendering it harmful to the touch. The ball will roll to the center of the elevator. Stay back, far back. Ten barrels will protrude from all over the orb, aimed every which way. It will unleash a barrage of bullets, beams, grenades, and flames all over the place. Unless you're on the outer edge of the elevator, you are going to get hit. Guaranteed. Once it's finished, the spikes will retract. Rush in and damage it. It will grow spikes again. Get ready to move your feet, as the ball will begin to ricohet around the room at high speed. After a while, it will stop and roll to the center of the platform. Remember to keep your distance as it arms itself again. After the storm of fire, the spikes will retract and you can run in. Rinse and repeat. After 2 more hits, the wrecking ball will drop several proximity mines as it bounces around. They'll automatically detonate after a short time. Watch your step, Sonic. Smash this machine 2 more times and it will meet its demise.

Shortly after defeating The Wrecking Machine, the elevator will reach the very bottom of the tomb. Congratulations. You have reached the Gravesite. Stage is completed. Cristine waits.

The elevator's hum faded as the crew reached the bottom level. They stepped into the site, and the door shut behind them.

"Well…that was a kick." Sonic dusted himself off.

Charmy flew around, taking in the sights. "Check out this room. It's huuuuge!"

The crew didn't realize that such a colossal area could exist underground. Adorned columns on each side of the hall reached up as far as the eye can see. The path before them lead forward, lined with white flames on golden torches. This path ran through a meadow of white roses, its petals flittering about in the breeze. There was a breeze…underground?

The Wind Etheral directed their attention to the front of the room.

"Look."

Cristine Sisytus stood alone at the blue-carpeted altar, admiring the murals of fantastic creatures splendidly hanging on the glossy limestone walls. She took the time to read the various hieroglyphics strewn throughout the site. At the center of the backwall was a monolithic safe, made of reinforced steel, rectangular in shape, and at least 30 feet tall.

She didn't even have to turn around to know they've arrived. The group stopped just short of the altar, eyes fixed on Cristine.

"You're finally here. Thanks for coming."

"Let's cut the crap and get right to the chase." Knuckles said. "What is this place and why are you here?" 

"…Fine. Let's get to the point. The world that you are in now is Eternia, a planet millions of light years away from Earth. I am here in this world to… "evolve", so to speak. To attain astronomical power."

"…Evolve?" Tails asked. 

"Correct. I'm sure you all are familiar with The Forbidden Codex. The book that bestowed me with great power…power that you have witnessed…power that the entire Earth has seen." 

The fox appeared to be in thought. "So what does The Forbidden Codex have to do with Eternia?"

"More than you think. You see, the Forbidden Codex was actually incomplete. Deficient. The book was in reality just a mere portion of something greater…"

"Something greater, huh?" Sonic said, looking around.

"That's right."

There was a hushed stillness as the pure white pedals continued to flutter in the air. A pleasant smell wafted past their noses, but nothing could ease the tension in the room. It felt like anything could explode at any second.

"…Have you heard of a demon named Mezaryth?" 

Everyone was clueless, as evidenced by their expressions. 

"Who the heck is Mezaryth?"

"The most powerful demon that existed on Eternia. Well…was. He was considered too dangerous to be left alive, and so his soul was extracted by his bretheren. The Forbidden Codex was created in a joint agreement between Mezaryth and Archimedes."

"Aaaaand…who's Archimedes?" Sonic questioned. He had seen him before, but never knew his name…

"I do not know the answer myself. It was written in the prologue of the Codex. According to the text, a portion of Mezaryth's power was transferred into the book. It was done as a favor to Archimedes after he done a service for him." 

"And you went to this tomb because…?" Mighty inquired. 

"Open your eyes mobians. You are in a memorial, a gravesite, dedicated to the greatest demon that ever existed in Eternia. If the Codex is but a sample of what Mezaryth is really capable of, then…"

"I get it now." Knuckles interrupted. "You're going to revive this demon and have it do your bidding, right?"

"Yes…and no. Now watch." 

Cristine turned around to the 30+ foot tall safe, looming over them like an impending doom, which may be true. She raised her hands up high, and she muttered an inaudible chant. An immense energy was in the air, they could all definitely feel it.

A loud rumble echoed throughout the tomb, and the safe's door began to creak.

"Yes…yes!"

The door continued creaking as it slowly swung open. The more it opened the more force the mobians could sense within their being.

"Open! OPEN! Let me see you, Mezaryth!"

The mobians gasped in disbelief when the door opened all the way, revealing the demon known as Mezaryth. Cristine had the widest, most contented smile she ever had. Everyone was in awe at the beast's appearance.

"Behold your new God."

Mezaryth stood mighty tall, close to the 30 foot mark that his casket contained him in. The bi-pedal demon was pure white, closely resembling a kitsune fox. Seven huge, red-tipped tails drooped down to the floor. Various black tribal markings were all over its powerfully built body. For a demon, he had an air of nobility about him. Even though he was dead at the moment, the tall, dark-tipped ears still stood in attention. The razor sharp, dark-brown claws on its hands and feet would have no trouble leveling a house, much less slicing you into pieces. Mezaryth's long snout could smell your fear…your hesistance. His eyes were closed. The demon's chest, wrists, and ankles had thick tufts of fur. Shackles were placed all over his body, keeping the demon fox standing even in death. Intimidating wouldn't even begin to describe the magnitude of this beast.

Just about everyone's eyes and mouths were wide open.

"Holy…" Espio and Vector both uttered. 

Cristine could not keep her eyes off of him. "Yes…you are beautiful, Mezaryth. Much more than I had hoped for. Absolutely perfect for my new vessel."

"YOUR new vessel?!" Sonic exclaimed. "Don't tell me you're…!"

"Of course, Mach. This human body of mine is frail and weak, susceptible to disease and death. I need a new body, a celestial body, to compliment my soon-to-be greater powers. I'm going to transfer my soul to Mezaryth, assume his body, and become a God."

The hedgehog sighed, and just shook his head in dismay. "…I just don't get you, Cristine. You are powerful enough. You've got nothing to prove by doing this."

"I've got plenty of prove. Unlike you, I've earned my power. I've began life as a lowly outcast, shunned by society. Why don't you try living several years of your life in a city where thousands of people hated you? You don't know what it's like to be prejudiced because of something as superficial as a lack of wings on your back. You don't know what it's like to be born different from everyone else, and be loathed for it. You don't know what it's like to be despised for something beyond your control. But oh no…not YOU, Mach. You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You were living high and mighty with the Ruler as soon as you came into this world. Ruling over a city at the king's side. Heh…you must've had it REAL hard…"

"…W…What? WHAT? …So this is what it's all about? You're doing all this because… you're jealous of…me?"

"Jealous…of you? HAHAHA! No. Shortly after the destruction of Earth, as I sat in the Royal Capital, I've had an epiphany. A realization."

"And what would that be?"

"I'm destined to rule…everything. Earth. The solar system. The galaxy. The universe. Beyond. Everything. Everyone. And. Everything."

"You're out of your mind."

"No…think about it…I began life as a lowly outcast. Then I gained the power to destroy an entire city. I lived for 12,000 years living inside an immortal's body, a human, me, far surpassing the human life span. I've been resurrected, and have destroyed the Earth shortly afterwards. And now I'm here, about to attain the body of a God. Don't you get it yet? I'm the one example of a perfect evolution. I will be the first being in history to pass the barrier from human to God. It's destiny for this to happen. I'm convinced. I know what I have to do now. I cannot break the evolutionary chain. The name 'Cristine Sisytus' will echo through the ages for all eternity…"

Sonic couldn't know whether to feel sorry for this woman or not. "You are crazy. You are just…just…out of your damn mind."

"Bitch has talked on long enough." Knuckles grumbled.

The echidna had about enough of this. He rushed toward the altar with a fist pulled back. Knuckles was going to give Cristine one hell of a hook, but that forcefield repelled him back down.

"That damn shield…it's ALWAYS there…"

"Brave and stupid, Knucklehead. Brave and stupid."

"Shut up."

Cristine didn't smile, frown, or even show anger at the attempted attack toward her. "…Cute. I'll be sure to return the favor when I attain Godhood, echidna."

"Looking forward to it." 

"Now…enough with this. It's time for my ascension to become a full-fledged God."

Cristine turned around and faced Mezaryth. The demon fox was resting in peace in his coffin, but not for long…

The sorceress lifted up her right hand toward him, and uttered a simple incantation.

"Demonus Soulitox Vesuit!"

White energy poured from her hand. It shot like a beam as it went straight into Mezaryth's chest. Cristine's body soon collapsed. Her human body was now dead.

"Guys…" Sonic told his friends. "I have a feeling we're in for a lot of trouble…"

The next several seconds were the most nerve-racking for Sonic and company. They stared up high at the monstrous demon, hoping that it wouldn't come alive…but in the back of their mind knew it was going to happen anyway.

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and the Chaotix, Bunnie, and Antoine waited with bated breath.

"…!"

Nearly everyone's hearts jumped when Mezaryth's eyes flashed open, brimming to life. Pointed ears perked up attentively. The fox demon's left eye was blue, and her right was green. She was alive.

Charmy couldn't help but tremble, and stood real close to his Chaotix pals. "Guyyyyyys….it's awaaaaaake…"

Mezaryth growled as she pulled her arms and legs forth, easily busting free from the shackles. She set one foot out, then the other, and stepped from her casket. Her seven tails swished. Cristine raised her claws and looked at them, then at the rest of her new body. She felt unimaginable power packed into every bone and sinew.

"Mueheheheheh…" Cristine laughed, showing off her rows of gleaming, jagged teeth. Her laughter was much darker, monstrously sinister. "Yes…yes…this body is more than perfect."

The demon fox looked down at the mobians, who looked like they were more than willing to fight. They were mere ants from her prespective. Her seven tails spread out in an imposing fan. She gladly showed them her new form.

"I am the pinnacle of evolution. Be appreciative that you get to witness the birth of a God."

The giant Mezaryth bent down on all fours, slightly shaking up the tomb. She leaned forward until her snout was only inches away from Knuckles. The echidna didn't flinch as the two traded cold stares. Everyone could clearly hear her low growling. Mezaryth's hot, rancid breath washed over Knuckles in thick waves. Copious amounts of drool dripped from her maw. No doubt she was anxious of dealing out destruction.

"Payback." The self-proclaimed God snarled.

Before Knuckles could react, Mezaryth grabbed him in her left hand. She had a tight grip, completely enveloping him. The echidna struggled, but it was no use. He was trapped. Mezaryth stood back up on two feet.

"Knuckles!" His friends yelled.

"(I'll save him…)" Espio thought. 

The ninja entered stealth mode, invisible to the naked eye. He hopped on and scaled up the demon's body with ease. Just as he was approaching the left shoulder, Mezaryth's claw flicked him off like a speck of dust.

"Aah!"

Espio went flying at high speed, and crashed right into a wall. He fell down a long way to the ground with a thud, now motionless.

"Espio!" 

Mighty, Charmy, and Vector were quickly at his side.

"You think you can fool me with your little parlor tricks?! Now watch as your little echidna faces a God's wrath."

The hand that trapped Knuckles started to glow a bright red. You could see the growing smile on the demon's face as the light became brighter. Soon, a tremendous explosion from inside Mezaryth's clenched palm shook the gravesite.

"NO!" Sonic screamed.

"Now…let this be a lesson to all of you…"

The demon opened her palm, showing the smoldering, lifeless echidna. He fell down to the ground in a smoking heap.

"Never cross a God."

Bunnie covered her mouth in disbelief. "No…"

The panicked hedgehog sped toward Knuckles' fallen body. He put a hand on his chest, checking for any signs of life. There was none.

Sonic suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and began to tremble. He felt a whirlwind of emotions consuming him. His longtime friend and rival was no longer with them…

"Knuckles...he's….he's…" 

"Soneek?"

"Knuckles…is…dead…" 

"WHAT?!"

Everyone quickly gathered at the guardian's body. Fear spread among their ranks. Sonic checked again. But still, nothing…

The hedgehog looked down and slowly shook his head. No words were needed.

Charmy simply bawled out, burying his face in Vector's shoulder. The crocodile shared his sadness, crying along with him. Antoine and Bunnie held hands, dead silent. Mighty held the unconscious Espio close to him, trying to his best to hold back his tears. Tails felt a lump in his throat that just wouldn't go down. Sonic just remained numb. 

Mezaryth found the current turn of events rather amusing. 

"Hmm hmm hmm. Touching. Do not weep, my friends. You all will be reunited with the echidna very shortly."

The fox-esque demon clenched her claws together, gathering energy from all around the tomb. As Mezaryth parted her claws bit by bit, a violet orb appeared, growing larger by the second. The entire place began to shake. Bolts of energy appeared from everywhere and went to the orb, like a moth to a flame. The entire gravesite was bathed in its glow as the globe continued to enlarge. The tomb rumbled violently from the exorbitant amount of power in the air.

Soon the crackling sphere was massive, about as large as Mezaryth herself. Her arms were spread wide to accommodate the size. Chunks of architecture crumbled from the massive quake. The saddened group couldn't do anything but wait own demise.

"Farewell Mach…and his friends. Now die."

She unleashed the vast orb, and the last thing Sonic and his companions saw was a white light…

The sphere exploded with unparalled force, eradicating the Tomb of the Sovereign and everything within a 3 mile radius. Within seconds, it was but smoldering rubble. Amongst the carnage were the bodies of the nine mobians, bloodied, shredded, and bruised beyond description.

Charmy laid there. Dead.

Vector laid there. Dead.

Mighty laid there. Dead.

Espio laid there. Dead.

Knuckles laid there. Dead.

Antoine laid there. Dead.

Bunnie laid there. Dead.

Tails laid there. Dead.

Sonic laid there…

Dead.

Mezaryth levitated above the wreckage, blue and green eyes studying for any signs of life. There were none.

Rotor was on the outer edge of the crater when he saw the explosion. If he were a mile closer, he would've been caught in the blast. He spotted the demon fox in the distance and immediately knew that he'd better get out of there. 

"Whoa... I don't even want to know what THAT is…I'd better hide…but that explosion….is Sonic's team…?" 

Carrying the cataleptic Shadow, the walrus tried to run back to the nearby forest, but he accidently tripped over a crystal flower and fell down hard. The dark hedgehog tumbled out of his grasp. 

Mezaryth's ears perked up. She heard him. With a sinful smirk, the demon pursued the source of the sound. It wasn't long before Rotor was in her sights.

The sea mammal got back up and turned toward the sky. "AHH!"

Mezaryth closed in. With a brilliant flash of her blue eye, Rotor instantly fell over again. This time, dead.

Her blue eye flashed again, this time at Shadow. She wasn't taking any chances.

It was all over. Cristine had won. She had become a God, just as she had stated. Her only threat was annihilated. Now she was free to do whatever she pleased. The universe…perhaps beyond…was her oyster. More drool dripped from her mouth, forming globs on the ground. She relished in the feeling of a remarkable victory.

But…

_"Mach! Wake up!"_

"Hey! Mach! Psst!"

"Wake up Wind Etheral! Don't throw in the towel now!"

"Get up, Mach. You're tougher than this."

"You can do it! You can NOT let her win! Not after coming this far!"

"Your time isn't up yet! The world still needs you! NOW GET UP!"

Thump thump…

_"Is that his heart beating?"_

Thump thump…

_"Yes! It's beating! C'mon old boy! Get up!"_

Thump thump…

_"It's our time to shine, Etherals."_

Thump thump…

_"Cristine needs to be destroyed once and for all. Mach needs our help more than ever. We are his brethren. We are family. We shall give him our remaining power. He needs it more than we do. Emelia, Hein, Void, Demi, Niatro, and Aquios…are you ready?"_

Thump thump…

_"Right! We are ready, Shiro. Let's do it."_

Thump thump… 

_"ARISE, MACH!"_

Mach, the Wind Etheral, had his second wind. It was going to take more than that to take him down. He didn't go through hell and back pursuing Cristine, only to be slain with one shot. No way. This was his time now, more than ever.

"Mmm.."

The hedgehog began to levitate, eyes still closed and parallel to the ground. His floating body turned so that he was at a vertical base. His entire frame started to illuminate a radiant sky blue.

Mezaryth's pupils shifted into narrow slits as she soon as she noticed Sonic. "…MACH?! You're STILL ALIVE?!?"

The glowing Etheral continued hovering in the same spot, eyes shut. His mouth began to move, but it wasn't Sonic's voice that came out.

_"We don't go down that easily, heartless sorceress."_

"…Shiro? I thought Mach had defeated all of you."

_"You are right. He did beat us while our minds were infected with your will. Our bodies may be gone, but our true essences will always remain. Your reign has gone on far enough, woman. Just as we served the Ruler many millennia ago, we're going to use our power to help Mach. The Last Etheral. Our final hope."_

"NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

Mezaryth hissed and growled as she opened her jaws wide. A shadowy aura began to appear from inside her throat. The aura insantly became a huge dark spear of energy, and it shot like a cannon toward the Etheral. Sonic instantly appeared at another spot 1,000 feet away to the left, dodging the lethal blast. He moved so fast, one could've mistaken it for teleportation. The hedgehog's eyes still remained closed.

"HOLD STILL YOU LITTLE COCKROACH!"

Round after round of dark spears resumed firing at Sonic, who kept on dodging them with unbelievable speed. 

_"Brothers and sister, we'll need to hide Mach until his transformation is complete. Cristine isn't going to give him an opportunity."_

"Gotcha, Shiro. I already have an idea in mind. We'll hide Mach underwater."

"Good idea, Aquios. Let's move quickly our brethren. I doubt we'll have much time." 

"Right!"

Sonic disappeared in the blink of an eye. He was nowhere to be seen, confounding even Mezaryth.

"…Wha?" She barked, looking back and forth feverishly. "Where did he go…I'LL KILL HIM!"

The Etheral reappeared at the bottom of a lake about six miles away. Sonic and water did not mix, but they couldn't afford to be picky. He still stood up straight, eyes closed. There was no time to waste. Mezaryth would surely sniff him out in a matter of minutes.

_"Alright everyone, concentrate! Pour our very spirits, our hearts, into Mach."_

Sonic had started to radiate again, bathing his entire body in that bright blue.

_"I, Emelia, entrust my power of light, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

The hedgehog's body burned a pure white.

_"I, Void, entrust my power of darkness, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

His aura changed to a dark violet.

_"I, Demi, entrust my power of gravity, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

Sonic illuminated a green hue around him.

"_I, Niatro, entrust my power of lightning, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

He was enveloped in an electrifying golden light.

_"I, Hein, entrust my power of fire, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

A burst of flames burned brightly around the hedgehog.

_"I, Aquios, entrust my power of water, my soul, to Wind Etheral Mach!"_

The hedgehog was surrounded in a strong torrent of bubbles. 

_"I, Shiro, entrust my power of earth, my soul, my very essence, to Wind Etheral Mach, so that he would have the power to destroy a malevolent God."_

The ground rumbled around Mach. He was ablaze with an auburn shine.

Sonic began to breathe hard, again and again. His chest rose and fell at the substantial power coursing through his veins.

_"Yes. It is now time. Transform and take her down!"_

A vast pillar of holy light shot down from the sky above, pierced through the lake's surface, and wrapped around Sonic. His body was hidden from view. Only his silhouette was visible.

Mezaryth noticed the illuminating column about a mile away and hurriedly went toward it. She stopped as soon as she saw a figure rising from the center of the lake…

That figure appeared above the water's surface, continuing his rising within the pillar behind the veil of light. He stopped just at Mezaryth's eye level.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" 

The light surrounding the hedgehog was as bright as the sun, possibly blinding anyone who made direct eye-contact within several miles. It smothered the lands in warm luminosity.

The column had now subsided, revealing the ultimate form. The ultimate Sonic. Chaotic power incarnate. This was a new hedgehog. A bright aura shined around his pure white body. He was a full foot taller, with longer and leaner limbs. The shimmering fangs had returned. A small twaft of silver fur sat at the end of his lengthened tail. An oversized bright-red cape fluttered freely on his back. His eyes were a clean slate, nothing to see in them at all. It made him appear to be possessed. He had no gloves or shoes. His hands and feet had claws that could cut through the toughest of metals. The tiny aquamarine jewel embedded in his chest rounded out his form well.

Mezaryth's seven tails danced around in interest. "You're just full of surprises. So this is your ultimate power, Etheral? Hmph…not bad, but you are nowhere near my league."

"You're dead, Cristine. You just don't know it yet. Let's settle this." 

Cristine, now Mezaryth, stood tall and roared with anticipation of the upcoming battle. Sonic, now at his most powerful, spread his arms out and welcomed the challenge. There was no love lost between these two enemies of ages past.

One opponent, was an immortal born at the side of an authorative figure. An enforcer of an ancient city who now fights for justice and righteousness alongside his friends.

The other, was a victim of prejudice who did whatever it took to gain power. A human who transcends impossible boundaries to became a God.

The final battle that would determine the fate of the universe was about to begin…

_Final Boss: Mezaryth – The Malevolent God_ (Player: **Ultimate Mach**)   
The final battle of the game. You are at the top of your form. Cristine is at the top of her form. Granted, there is a HUGE size difference, but that hasn't stopped you before. This conflict will span through several locations within the universe. That will come into play later. As Ultimate Mach, you have a repertoire of new moves at your disposal. Your burst meter will stay at maximum. Use the analog stick to move around. Hold the A button to ascend. Hold the X button to descend. Push Y to dash. It's useful for a quick getaway. Hold Y to rev up your speed, let go to perform a nova thrust. Push the B button for a claw swipe; press it repeatedly for a combination. Hold the B button for a few seconds to charge up your power, release to let loose your Seraphic Beam. Aim the direction of the beam with the analog stick. More moves will be available as the battle progresses. You have a life bar in this boss fight. You know the deal. Collect rings to gradually recover, and don't let it fall to zero. The first phase of this fight takes place in Eternia. Mezaryth will attack by firing dark spears from her mouth, and fireballs from her palms. If you get close to the demon, watch out for her huge claw swipes. If you see her hand out to the side, she'll swing horizontally. If the hand is above her head, she'll come down vertically. To damage the fox beast, you'll need to get close. Problem is, Mezaryth is protected by a blue forcefield. No problem. Use your nova thrust on it. Six of them will break it. Now hurry, because the shield will regenerate over time. Now where to attack the body? Every place seems to be invulnerable…or is it? Go to one of her eyes and slash it with your claw. The demon will yelp and retaliate with a horizontal or vertical swipe. You'll notice that the eye is now closed. Now move forward and strike the other eye. She'll bellow out a dreadful roar, covering her eyes with her hands. Look at her mouth. It's wide open with her cries. It might sound crazy but, enter her mouth and inside her body. Follow the path and before long, you'll reach the core. Mezaryth's beating heart. Now's the opportunity to a put some hurt on the God. The only attack that will do damage is your Seraphic Beam. So charge up and let loose. Do it right and the demon will scream in agony, followed by spitting you back out of her mouth. She is now at 5/6 of her life bar. Now that you have placed harm on her she'll teleport, taking you with her. The world around you and Mezaryth will dissolve into blackness.

Several seconds later the two of you will reappear in an arctic country on some unknown planet, courtesy of Mezaryth's teleportation. Welcome. She's planning to destroy this world as well, but you won't let her. A white blanket of snow has covered the land. Hope you don't mind the unyielding blizzard, since it will reduce your visibility distance. Mezaryth will take advantage of this, and likes to hang far back from view. She'll charge at you from seemingly out of nowhere. Keep your wits about you. The demon fox has a couple of new attacks along with her original ones. Beware when you get close. Her sweeping poison breath will quickly drain your rings (3 per second for 10 seconds). She'll also use telekinesis to lift up massive chunks of land and throw them in your direction. You can either dodge them altogether or use your claw with perfect timing to break them apart. Performing the latter correctly will reward you with 5 rings. Once again, make your way to close range and use your nova thrust on the forcefield 6 times. Swipe at the eyes, prepare for counterattacks, and fire the Seraphic Beam at the heart. Good work. Now Mezaryth's life is at 2/3. Prepare for another change of location at Mezaryth's will. The landscape around you will fade away into nothing.

In a few moments you and Mezaryth will appear in a vast desert, again on an unknown planet. Here, you'll have to watch out for the occasional sandstorm. Stay low and get behind a hill if you see the wind start to pick up. Wait there until it subsides. Otherwise you'll get caught up in the winds and lose control for several seconds, leaving you vulnerable to the demon fox's wrath. Speaking of the fox, she is particularly nasty in this phase of the stage. She'll speedily teleport to and fro again and again, oftentimes right behind you. Mezaryth can pin your body to the ground with a paw and slowly crush you. Sonic's life bar will gradually drain. You can counter this by repeatedly pressing up on the d-pad when it appears onscreen. Mach will use his strength to push the paw up off him. Now push A when it appears to escape. Failure to do this will result in death. Move far, FAR away if you see Mezaryth raising her hands in the air. REALLY far. So far that you can barely see her. She is conjuring a huge golden orb, growing at a rapid rate. You'll have until the sphere is about the same size as the demon before it is released. She'll clap her hands together, causing it to explode. Hundreds of deadly shooting stars will demolish everything within its insanely wide radius. Remember the sandstorms, and take cover. You know the routine. Nova thrust the barrier, swipe the eyes, and go for the heart. Nice. Mezaryth is now at half HP. Prepare for another change in location as everything melts away.

Take a moment to catch your breath, because the boss fight will now switch up a bit. It appears that you are in a city at night, and in the middle of an ongoing war. Two sides are going at it by any means possible. Be on the lookout for tanks on the ground, as well as airships and bi-planes storming the air. Don't get caught in the crossfire. Use the buildings for cover if need be. Mezaryth is still the main threat of course. Be on your guard, as her catalog of attacks keeps on growing. Here, the demonic fox will move into a stance. She'll spread her tails out in a large fan. The tips will point every which way. Hope you're an expert at twitch dodging. 360 degrees of rapid beam shots will litter the air with reckless abandon. Hiding behind buildings won't help you though. The projectiles will go right through them. You can blaze a safe path using your Seraphic Beam. If Mezaryth grabs you in her palm, push the two buttons that appear onscreen rapidly (ex. X + A) to escape. You don't want to be grinded into hamburger meat by her pointy teeth. Once you repeatedly smash her forcefield, you'll notice that it's not working. She's caught on to your game. A short cutscene will occur where Mach tells the Etherals that his attacks are ineffective. Shiro will tell him that it's time to use Ultimate Mach's trump card, the "Godslayer". The hedgehog's right hand will glow bright, and a blue crystal sword will emanate from it. It looks rather modest, but it will gain its true form in due time. The Godslayer needs to be charged up first before it can be of any use. Hold R when standing still to store your power into the sword. It will take a while before it will reach full strength, so be patient. A charge meter below your life bar will show your progress. Once you accomplish that, the Godslayer will grow to nearly 5 feet in length, burning brightly. Use the sword with the B button. Break through her forcefield with 6 slices. Don't bother going for her eyes or mouth. She's keeping them guarded. Instead, get straight to the point and bust right into her chest. The Godslayer will part her fur and flesh like a hot knife through butter. Strike the heart and watch her suffer. Mezaryth is now at 1/3 life. Keep going. The battlefield will change, but you already knew that.

Welcome to outer space, more specifically the rings of Saturn. Yes, you're in an asteroid belt. Be especially careful here. Rocks and debris will travel by at a steady pace. Colliding into one will do very little damage to you, but the impact can throw you off a bit. Feel free to slice through them with your sword. You'll notice that the gash on Mezaryth's chest has healed up, but the damage has already been done. The Godslayer's power has gone back to zero. You'll need to charge it back up again. It'll be very difficult to do that here, since the asteroids are always coming and going. Move and charge. Move and charge. Mezaryth will continue to torment Mach with more destructive methods. If you see the demon's eyes starting to glow, do one of two things: Move so that you're not facing her…or get behind an asteroid. One wrong gaze when the eyes flash and it's instant death. When the demon points her finger at a location (usually near you), you'll see a group of tiny, fiery particles gathering at that very spot. If you're anywhere near it, MOVE. A huge, screen-shaking explosion will inflict devastating damage to those who are close enough. The blast will also shatter the asteroids, sending their pieces everywhere. Once the sword's power reaches the maximum, go to work on her. Smash the shield, cleave the chest, and tear at her heart. Mezaryth is on her last legs, with only 1/6 HP left. You're doing great. Time for the finale. To the final battleground…

You and Mezaryth will appear again in outer space. This time, you're fighting on the source of life itself. The Sun. The extreme heat and hot orange glow will ripple the air, hindering your sight a bit. Watch the surface, solar flares can jump at any time and damage you. Look carefully and you'll see Mezaryth hovering right above it. She will thrust her hands forward and they will start to glow, along with her eyes and mouth. Unfathomable energy is being charged up. The demon is planning on burying the Solar System for good, by destroying the sun. Needless to say, you have to stop her. It'll take approximately 5 minutes before Mezaryth gathers enough power to annihilate it. If that happens, you lose a life. But a fully-charged Godslayer won't be enough. Her barrier is at its strongest yet. Thus far, you have only used a Level-1 Godslayer to break through and inflict damage upon Mezaryth's heart. Here, you'll need to charge it to Level-5. It'll take a long while naturally. Performing a different button command is required to charge it to the next level. You already know that holding the R button will get it to Level-1. Whenever Mach successfully levels up the sword, Mezaryth will summon 10 imps to keep you busy. Slice them to ribbons fast and focus back on the sword. The Godslayer will increase in length and brightness as it gets stronger. The next button command will appear when the current wave of foes is destroyed. To get to Level-2, press the B and A buttons alternatively and quickly (ex. A, B, A, B, A…). Reach Level-3 by holding the B & R buttons down, while rapidly tapping the L button. To reach Level-4, hold down the L, Z, and X buttons while pressing the B button. Achieve the full Level-5 by holding down L, R, Z, B, and A buttons while rotating the analog stick 360 degrees. Now look at your epic sword. It's taken on a new form, absolutely brimming with a fiery blue blaze. It's 30 feet in length, slightly longer than Mezaryth. Now it's time for the finishing blow. Approach the demonic fox and push the B button to shatter the shield. Press it again to activate the next cutscene. You saved the universe. It's over. Congratulations.

Mach's mighty Godslayer sliced Mezaryth clean across the torso, like scissors through a wet piece of paper. Her lower half, legs and tails, sank down below. They were swallowed up by the sun in mere seconds.

Mezaryth's blue and green eyes burned bright with hatred and pain, and she let out the most horrendous cry anyone in existence has ever heard.

**"GGGGGGRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAGGGGGH!! I HAD THE POWER!! THE POWER OF A GOD!! I HAD IT! I HAD IT!!"**

The Etheral held the ludicrously long sword out to the side. "…Greed truly is the root of all evil. You wanted too much, too fast Cristine. And it ultimately led to your downfall."

She roared at him with such infuriating intensity. Ears folded back, fangs bared, eyes brimmed with unadulterated rage, and saliva dripped.

**"YOU DESTROYED MY LIFE! MY DREAMS!! EVERYTHING I HAD! EVERYTHING! GONE! EVERYTHING I HAD!! EVERYTHING!! I HATE YOU, MACH!! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU!!! I HATE YOU!!!! I HATE YOUUUUUUU!!!!"**

Mach didn't say another word as he sliced Mezaryth's head clean off. He then proceeded to cut the upper body with a cross-slash, dividing it into 4 pieces. Every part of the demonic fox was then kicked into the burning sun. Not a trace of her body remained. Cristine Sisytus was now nothing more than a memory.

"Hate you too, bitch."

The Godslayer had vanished from his grasp. Still in ultimate form, he performed Chaos Control to warp back to the devastated Tomb of the Sovereign in Eternia, where his friends still laid dead.

"…" 

He gathered their bodies and laid them neatly in a group. Shadow, Rotor, Antoine, Bunnie, Knuckles, Vector, Charmy, Espio, Mighty, and Tails. Mach stood among them and sighed. It was hard to tell what emotions he was experiencing right now.

"Chaos Control."

The hedgehog and his pals vanished from the crystallized planet and reappeared back on Earth, in front of the Royal Capital. Sonic reverted back to his normal form. The planet was still in a crippled, monochrome state. Roots had still covered everything. Everyone remained perished. As it turns out, defeating Cristine hasn't changed a thing.

_"Awesome job, Mach!" _

"You did better than we would've ever hoped."

"Great show Mach, you showed Cristine that we Etherals are not to be messed with!"

"Yeah…thanks guys. But Earth is still a wasteland. Nothing has changed. Everyone is dead…including my closest friends. It's a victory, but a hollowed one at best." 

_"I thought as much, but I wouldn't give up just yet. We ARE Etherals, after all. There is still hope."_

"Wha…what do you mean, Shiro?"

_"We can restore everything to what it was. Earth will flourish again. Life will be revived."_

"Re…REALLY?! HOW?!"

_"I don't think you'll like it…"_

"I don't care! Just tell me how!"

_"Are you sure?"_

"YES!" 

_"…Very well. I had a feeling you'd say that. Now…to renew the planet…to resurrect it…you, me, and the Etherals will have to…"_

"…?"

_"We'll have to sacrifice our powers, our very essences to Earth. Us seven won't exist anymore since our physical bodies are already gone. No more Etherals, no more Chaos Emeralds. Our near limitless powers will be used to reverse the curse Cristine had placed upon the land."_

"…I see."

"_You must realize that there is a chance you might not live. We don't know if you will still survive with your ether core forcibly stripped."_

"…"

_"Do you need time to think about it?"_

"What is there to think about? I have lived long enough. My friends haven't had the chance to experience life to the fullest yet. They're still young. I, on the other hand, pretty much seen everything I've wanted to see. It would be pretty selfish of me if I didn't do this. And what good is living on this dead planet by myself?"

_"So…you living without your friends isn't as important as your friends living without you?"_

"Without question."

_"…You are wise, Mach. Wise indeed. Ironic…that the weakest Etheral gets to decide everything." _

"Yeah yeah…you don't need to remind me."

_"When you are truly ready, change back to your Ultimate Form and bring out your Godslayer. You have to inject yourself with the holy blade, to extract the power. Keep your mind and heart pure. Focus on reviving the Earth."_

"…Okay." He nodded, closing his eyes.

_"Are you scared?"_

"Nah. There are fates worse than death, and I've already faced some of them in my lifetime."

Before he would continue to make his most selfless act, he had more one thing he had to do. Sonic went inside the Royal Capital and found a pen and paper. He would write them a final farewell note…

_Dear Tails, Knuckles, Vector, Charmy, Espio, Amy, Rouge, Mighty, Bunnie, Antoine, Rotor, Sally, Bark, Bean, and Shadow, and anyone who might read this: _

If you're reading this note, then that means that you have been revived and the world is saved. Cristine Sisytus has been eliminated, and is no longer a threat. I had to sacrifice my own life so that the Earth and its inhibitants would live. I would like to thank you for the friendship you have given me over the years. I'll never forget you guys. Ever. You make life worth living. But do not grieve. Do not be sad. I want you all to move on and live life to the fullest. Enjoy it while you can. Anytime you feel that you can't go on, just remember that I'm always watching over all of you. Smiling. With no regrets.

Knucklehead and the Chaotix, stay out of trouble. Try to keep the island safe this time, mmm? Heh heh. 

Shadow, you faker! You're the star hedgehog now. Don't do anything I wouldn't do!

Rouge, I wish you and Mr. Pres good luck in rebuilding Station Square.

King Max, you're the most awesome squirrel I ever met. Well…the second most awesome. But you're still real cool.

Sally, you remind me of Amy…only less insane. Shame I didn't get to know you better.

Hi Amy! I'll miss you. Don't be sad now. There are plenty of fish left in the sea.

Antoine and Bunnie, you two lovebirds need to get a room! I'm sure you two would make beautiful children together. I'm kidding! Or am I?

Rotor, you're a cool dude but you gotta be more confident. Step up a little bit.

Bark, Bean, and Nack. The dynamic trio. You guys are crazy. Definitely a blast to hang out with. Oh, and Nack: I forgive you.

Tails, you're the best friend a guy could ever have. You're the only person I consider to be my brother. I know you'll live on to do great things. Your future is bright. I love ya man. Stay cool.

If I forgot anyone, I apologize. Peace!

Your best friend,  
Sonic 

He took the note and slipped it halfway in his right glove. After a few moments of silence, he was ready. With an instant flash, Sonic transformed to his ultimate state. The Godslayer formed in his right hand. Without hesistation, he turned the blade around and aimed it at the center of his chest. He shut his eyes and prepared himself…

And he did it.

The Godslayer pierced right through his chest, through the heart. Light shot out of his back. Sonic's eyes opened wide and his pupils shrunk to tiny dots. His body spasmed and then froze from the thrust. The hedgehog's mouth hung open, but no words came out.

"Aa….a….." 

Sonic was fading quickly, and he fell over to the ground. His eyes were closing. The hedgehog managed to keep a tiny smirk, even with the possibility of dying. His mind filled with thoughts of the good old days, days he would never forget. Now the Etheral's consciousness was fading toward nothingness.

Sonic, or Mach, laid there with no mark whatsoever on his chest. A single golden aura arose from his still body. It traveled high into the stratosphere, and it exploded.

Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, millions, and eventually billions of tiny little beads of light spread out over the skies. And they soon fell down to the planet, like a magical snowfall. As soon as a bead touched an object, it gave it life…color…movement. It spread, erasing the dull tones. The vile roots that once ruined all life had melted into ash upon contact.

Sally, Archimedes, and the Wolf Pack were revived, much to their relief.

Bark and Bean were full of color again. They looked around quizzically, not knowing what had happened.

Mr. President, Rouge, G.U.N. and Station Square were back to normal.

Sandblast City's residents danced in the streets, joyous.

King Acorn regained his composure, as did the Acorn army. Their kingdom would soon return. The old squirrel smiled.

"They did it…"

The lion cub in the seaside village jumped up and down, catching his 8th fish today. 

Monterey, Nack, and the jaguars looked up in the sky shortly after Black City became alive again.

New Aliveria faded out of existence, and Echidnapolis had returned to its rightful place. The G.U.N. soldiers had regained their freewills back.

Within the hour, Mother Earth was vibrant again. It was a delightful world once more.

Sonic's friends were given their lives back. A second chance. One by one, the ten regained their bearings. They were back in the mortal coil.

"Where are we?" Knuckles asked, rubbing his head. "Oy…wait a minute…where are we? Where's Cristine?"

"The last thing I remember is being in that blast…seeing that white light…" Espio said.

Vector pointed at the city. "Check it out, man. Echidnapolis is back in action! No more New Aliveria!"

"Does theez mean…Cristine eez dead?!"

Excited, everyone ran to the edge of Angel Island and looked down at the Earth. No more gray, no more black and white. Color. Life. It was all good.

Charmy danced around happily. "The Earth! Yessss! That means…Cristine really IS dead!" 

"…But I don't remember defeating her, do you guys?" Knuckles asked everyone.

"…No…"

"I don't…" 

"Neither do I…"

"Hey!" Tails signaled everyone to come over. "There's Sonic!"

Everyone huddled together and bent down around the young fox, all looking down at the hedgehog. He still hasn't moved since.

"Is…is he…?" Tails stammered.

Knuckles shook his head. "Nah...I know Sonic. He wouldn't go out that easily."

Just about everyone's hearts leapt into their throats, fearing for the worst. Could Earth's great hero really be dead?

Rotor checked for a sign by placing his fingers on the neck.

"…Well?" Vector asked. "Is he still with us?"

"…"

Espio moved closer. "WELL?"

"…Hold on, will you?"

Rotor put a ear to Sonic's chest, carefully checking for any sign, still holding his fingers onto his throat. Antoine and Bunnie held each other close, silently praying for fate to smile upon their blue friend.

Tails wiped some moisture from his eyes. He swore to himself that he wouldn't cry.

"Good news." The walrus suddenly said. "There's a pulse, barely, but it's a pulse."

Talk about a weight lifted off your shoulders. After those two sentences, the crew felt they could walk on air.

"We'll need to send him to a hospital though. We don't know how serious his condition is. He could easily slip into death at any time."

"Where is the closest hospital?" Charmy asked.

"Station Square."

"Well what the hell are we waiting for?" Knuckles said as he placed Sonic up onto his shoulder. "Let's go!"

With the help of the echidna, Tails, and Charmy, the clique glided down toward the Earth below. From the shining sea, to the shimmering plains and breathtaking mountains, their one and only planet that they called home has never looked better.

**THE END**

**_Epilogue is next._**


End file.
